Exclusive
by rebecca4
Summary: Tensions are growing over at LexCorp; let's hope our intrepid trio can solve this mystery before things explode! **Chapter TEN UP**
1. The Interview

Chapter 1: The Interview  
  
Chloe drummed her fingers on her desk, trying to wait as patiently as she could for the phone to   
ring. If she could get this interview--no. She wasn't going to think in terms of 'if'. She *would* get   
the interview.   
  
"Coffee, Sullivan?" Lois Lane stopped by, holding a Styrofoam cup.   
  
"Thanks." Chloe took the cup and sipped--it was awful, but that was par for the course. "What'd I   
do to deserve this?"   
  
Lois shrugged. "I heard through the grapevine you might get an interview with Lex Luthor. Let me   
know how it goes, would you?"  
  
Ah, now it made sense. Lois wasn't one to cultivate friends among the reporters unless there was   
something in it for her. Not that Chloe could really blame her. "We'll see what happens *if* I get   
it," she said noncommittally, emphasizing the possibility. Lex didn't normally give interviews.   
She'd been trying for this one for weeks.   
  
"Sure." Lois breezed off, leaving Chloe to sip her really bad coffee and stare at the phone.  
  
When it rang, she jumped. "Sullivan," she said automatically.   
  
"Miss Sullivan," a dryly amused voice said on the other end.  
  
"Mr. Luthor." She hadn't expected him to call her back personally. After all, most of her calls had   
gone to his secretary. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised.  
  
"It's Lex, please. So--I hear you've been looking to interview me?"   
  
"Yes, I have. I'm writing an article on LexCorp's new program of vitamin-intensive vegetables, and   
so far everyone's told me that you're the one behind it."  
  
"I'm the boss. I'm the one behind everything."   
  
Chloe laughed at Lex's dry statement. "That's as may be, but you're also the one who created this   
program and got it off the ground."   
  
"True." Lex was quiet for a moment. "Are you busy tomorrow?"   
  
"One sec." Chloe looked at her schedule. Nope, nothing she couldn't put off or reschedule. Even if   
there was, it wouldn't matter now. "No, I'm not."   
  
"Come by at ten. I'll give you an interview and a tour." It wasn't a suggestion; more of an order. It   
was also much, much more than she'd been hoping to get. The best she'd hoped for was an   
interview with one of Lex's press flunkies.   
  
"Sure thing." Chloe noted it down in her Palm. "Thanks a lot, Lex--I really appreciate this."  
  
"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow."   
  
With that, he hung up. Chloe couldn't resist grinning like a fool before going to tell her editor about   
the interview.   
  
  
She wasn't overly surprised by the amount of security she had to deal with. First there was the   
receptionist on the ground floor, who checked her ID, checked her appointment, then gave her a   
badge. She was escorted to the elevator--an elevator that didn't go up to Lex's floor, she noted.   
When she got out on the top level the elevator *did* go to, the receptionist there checked her badge   
again and called up to confirm that she was indeed expected. The elevator that finally took her up   
to Lex had to be accessed by a code that one of the security guards punched in. And, of course,   
Chloe was certain there were metal detectors and other electronic safeguards all over the place.   
  
"Chloe Sullivan," Lex said, walking toward her. He held out a hand and she shook it, pleased to see   
that his handshake was firm and confident. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
  
She nodded. "You look well," she said, meaning it. Outwardly, he'd barely changed at all.   
  
"Power agrees with me." Lex half-smiled. "You look--happier, if I may say so."   
  
"I like my job," she said simply.   
  
"I'm not surprised. Speaking of which--" he gestured toward two couches with a low table between   
them. "Shall we?"   
  
Chloe took a seat, getting out her mini-recorder and her notebook. "For your benefit as well as   
mine," she explained.   
  
"Of course." Lex settled onto the couch opposite her, looking utterly comfortable.   
  
The interview went well. Most of Lex's answers were clearly rehearsed, but she hadn't expected   
anything less. She thought she managed to catch him off-guard once or twice, although it was hard   
to tell with him. His poker face had only improved with the years.   
  
"Would you like to see the labs?" he asked after about an hour. "I did promise you a tour, after   
all."   
  
"I'd like that," she said, smiling. She already had enough information to do a decent article, but she   
wanted to get as much as she could. There was no such thing as too much knowledge in her lexicon.   
  
"Come on, then." Lex stood; to her surprise, she realized he meant to take her on the tour himself.   
  
"This is a bit of an honor," she remarked, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I hadn't expected so   
much of your time."   
  
"What are old friends for? Besides-the program's just in its beginning stages. There really isn't   
anyone else who can show you around." Lex hit the elevator button and gestured for Chloe to   
enter.   
  
They went down for what seemed like ages before finally stopping. "We're four levels   
underground," Lex explained. "Some of the chemicals we're working with are light-sensitive and it's   
easier to control the environment when there aren't any windows."   
  
Chloe nodded. "I can understand that, but it must get a bit claustrophobic down here."   
  
Lex half-smiled. "Only when the lights go out."   
  
In spite of herself, she was impressed with the setup. "Aren't you worried about the vegetables   
being possibly toxic in high doses?" she asked, looking at a lab with trays of seedlings.   
  
Lex shook his head. "That would be a concern, but we think we've found a way around that   
problem."   
  
"Oh? What's that?"   
  
"I can't share *all* my secrets," he told her lightly.   
  
"All right." It wasn't worth it to press him, she judged-he wouldn't talk anyway.   
  
"Over here is the main lab," Lex said, keying in a code and opening the door for her. "It's not much   
to look at now, but it-" Something started beeping and he frowned. "Who's down here?"   
  
Chloe turned, but didn't see anyone. "Hello?" she called.   
  
She didn't have time to move before she felt something hit her in the back of the head and she went   
down like a sack of potatoes.   
  
Waking up was painful; her head throbbed and a careful exploration with her fingers revealed a lump   
on the back of her skull. "Ow," she said, pushing herself into a sitting position. The floor was cold   
tile under her hands, and wherever she was had minimal light. "Lex?" she called. "Are you here?"   
  
When no one answered, she began scooting backward, hoping to find a wall. She was lucky-it didn't   
take long before her back came in contact with one. Carefully, she stood and began looking for a   
light switch.   
  
She made it to a corner and partway down the next wall before she found one. Flipping it on made   
her see spots for a few moments, but at least she could tell where she was.   
  
"And maybe I should have left the light off," she muttered, looking around. The room was really   
more of a glorified closet, being about eight feet long and four feet wide, and had nothing in it.   
Literally. There was a door, but it had no handle on the inside. Why the hell Lex had a room with   
no handle on the inside, she didn't know.  
  
On the other hand, Lex was lying on the floor, looking like someone had whacked him as well.   
Chloe knelt next to him, relieved to see he was breathing. "Lex?" she said softly, resting a hand on   
his shoulder. At least he was on his side, looking all right except for the lump.   
  
He groaned something incoherent and his eyes blinked open, immediately shutting again. "I thought   
I was done with getting hit over the head when I left Smallville," he mumbled.   
  
"Maybe it's me-the whole Smallville influence thing." Chloe looked closely at the back of his head,   
but the skin wasn't broken and it didn't look too bad.   
  
"I'll remember that." Lex sat up carefully. "How's your head?"  
  
"I'm all right-a few Excedrin and I'll be good as new. Yours?"   
  
"I think I'm developing a resistance to head blows."   
  
Chloe winced and settled into a cross-legged position. "Three questions for you."   
  
"Do you ever *stop* asking questions?" Lex asked wryly.   
  
"Nope. So-one, why are we in here, two, where was everyone else, and three, why do you have a   
room with no handle on the inside?"   
  
"In order-let me think. Your guess is as good as mine, there are only three other people with   
clearance for this level and they're not in Metropolis today, and there *used* to be a handle on that   
door." Lex raised an eyebrow. "Good enough?"   
  
"It'll do."   
  
"Thanks." Lex shifted backwards and leaned against the wall. "We'll be out of here soon-the   
security systems will realize something's wrong and they'll come looking for us."   
  
"But how'd your security systems get compromised enough that someone could get in and do this?"   
Chloe pressed.   
  
"That I don't know-but believe me, I will find out." Lex's voice turned cold. "No one should have   
been able to come down here but myself and the three scientists working on this. And I *know*   
they're all at a conference in Boston until Thursday."   
  
"I believe you." Chloe hugged her knees to her chest; it was cool in the room. "Well, things could   
be worse."  
  
"I'm almost afraid to ask how," Lex commented.  
  
"We could have broken bones, or be dead, or naked."   
  
"That's worse?"   
  
Chloe blinked. Lex couldn't possibly be flirting with her. "It's colder," she pointed out.  
  
"True." Lex smiled a little. "So does this count as off the record?"  
  
"Since they seem to have taken my bag, I'd say so. Why, are you going to spill your secrets?"   
  
"I don't do that even off the record. Sorry to disappoint you."   
  
"Oh darn." Chloe snapped her fingers and pretended to pout.   
  
"Actually, I was wondering how you've been. It's been a few years since Smallville."   
  
"I've been well. The usual drill, I guess-finished high school, did the college thing, went to work at   
the Inquisitor, gave it up and went to the Planet, and now I'm working my way through the ranks   
there." She shrugged. "What about you?"  
  
Lex half-smiled again. "The usual drill, I guess-finished my exile in Smallville, came back here, took   
over when dear old Dad kicked the bucket."   
  
"I'd offer you my sympathies but I don't think you want them," Chloe said, half-questioningly.  
  
"He was a bastard and no, I'm not sorry he's dead. Why should I be?"   
  
She wasn't sure why, but she didn't entirely believe him. "Right then."  
  
"I heard you graduated summa cum laude," Lex said, changing the subject. "Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks." Chloe frowned. "How'd you know about that?"   
  
"I hear lots of things."   
  
Of course he did. Lex had a way of knowing everything he wanted to. She just didn't know why   
he'd wanted to know her college GPA. "Can I ask you something?" she said abruptly.  
  
"You can ask, although there's no guarantee you'll get an answer." Lex shrugged.   
  
"Fair enough." Chloe hesitated for a moment. "Why me, Lex? Why'd I get the interview every   
journalist in Metropolis has been begging for?"   
  
For a long moment, she didn't think he was going to answer. "If I said sentiment, would you believe   
me?" he asked at last.  
  
"Probably not, no."   
  
Lex shrugged again. "I admired your tenacity, even back in Smallville. And I know that you   
wouldn't write a biased article, no matter how you felt about me. I can't say the same for other   
reporters."   
  
Chloe was surprised by how much that meant to her. Lex didn't give compliments easily; for him to   
say he'd admired something about her was high praise indeed. "Thank you," she said, trying not to   
grin like an idiot.  
  
"You're welcome."   
  
"Aren't we supposed to be in some kind of room with a window we can climb out?" Chloe asked   
after a moment of silence.   
  
"I think you watch too much TV," Lex said wryly. "Besides, we're four levels underground.   
Where are we supposed to climb, exactly?"   
  
"Oh shush, there's no need to get all practical on me."   
  
Lex looked at her for a moment before starting to laugh. "Chloe, don't ever change," he said,   
shaking his head.   
  
She grinned at more than just his comment. It was nice to see Lex unguarded, even if it was at her   
expense. "I'll try," she said lightly. "So, how long do you think it'll take before we're out of here?"  
  
"In that much of a hurry to be rid of me? Not that I can blame you; my hospitality so far has been   
less than stellar."   
  
"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of the three cups of coffee I had this morning," Chloe   
said ruefully.   
  
"With any luck we'll get out of here before they do." Lex smirked. Chloe would have thrown   
something at him but as she didn't have anything to throw, she settled for glaring.   
  
"Never realized your sense of humor was so crude."   
  
"Just commenting." Lex raised one hand to his head but dropped it with a barely imperceptible   
wince.   
  
"Are you all right?" Chloe scrambled to her knees, crawling over to him. "Let me see."   
  
"It's just a headache. It happens when you've been hit over the head."   
  
"Funny, but I think I learned that at some point. Now let me see." Chloe tilted his head, looking at   
the lump, which hadn't changed since the last time she'd seen it. "You'll live," she decided.   
  
"Thank you Dr. Sullivan." Lex's voice was quietly amused; Chloe rolled her eyes and settled next to   
him.   
  
"So-okay. Why would anyone have a reason to break in here, let alone knock us out?"   
  
"Your brain never stops working, does it?"   
  
"Does yours?" Chloe countered. "Don't tell me it's not the first thing you thought of after 'Ow'."   
  
"I wasn't even going to try. But I'm afraid that even off the record, I can't share that information."  
  
Chloe wasn't about to give up that easily. "I got hit over the head too, Lex. I think I have a right to   
know."   
  
Lex turned his head and looked at her. "I'm sure you can come up with a variety of reasons   
someone would want to sabotage me," he said, not quite challenging her.  
  
"I'm sure I can as well, but I'm curious to see if your reasons match mine."   
  
"They probably do." Lex settled back against the wall, drawing one leg up.   
  
Chloe sat for another minute before getting up and prowling around the room, looking to see if there   
was any way to open the door. There wasn't. She slammed her hands against it in frustration and   
regretted it when the reverberation echoed in her skull. "Well, that accomplished nothing," she   
muttered, sliding down the wall again.   
  
"Feel better?" Lex asked mildly.  
  
"You're taking this rather calmly," she snapped back.  
  
"On the contrary-I'm thinking about the myriad ways in which I can make my security team squirm   
in agony before I fire them."   
  
She couldn't help it; she laughed. "Sounds like fun. Can I be in at the kill?"   
  
"Odd-I'd have expected you to plead for mercy."   
  
"You obviously don't know me all that well. Any security people who screw up enough to let me   
get hit over the head and locked up don't deserve their jobs. In my opinion." Chloe wasn't sure if   
she was crossing a line or not, but Lex didn't seem to mind.   
  
"You're right. On both counts," he murmured. "Would you like to rectify the first?" He turned,   
looking at her with an expression she couldn't read.  
  
"Are you asking me out?" she said, startled.   
  
"Not if the idea repulses you."   
  
Chloe had the uneasy feeling he expected her to say no, although she wasn't sure why. "I didn't say   
the idea repulsed me. I was just surprised. It's not every day I wind up trapped in a closet with   
one of the most powerful-and attractive-men in Metropolis." Whoops. She hadn't meant to add in   
the 'attractive' bit; apparently the knock on the head had rattled her brain more than she'd thought.   
  
Lex inclined his head in acknowledgement of her comment-much like a king receiving advice from his   
council, she thought. The thought made her smile. "Something funny?" he asked, raising an   
eyebrow.  
  
"Just my own thoughts. Nothing exciting."  
  
"I beg to differ," he said smoothly. "Your brain works on a faster level than most people's, Chloe-  
just because they can't keep up is no reason to be ashamed of it."   
  
Two compliments in one hour from Lex-maybe *his* brain had gotten rattled as well. "Thank   
you," she said, determined not to blush. "It takes one to know one, I believe."   
  
"Perhaps."   
  
He looked like he was waiting for something; Chloe wondered what before realizing she'd never   
given him an answer to his oblique invitation. "I would very much like to go out with you   
sometime, Lex," she admitted. "On one condition."   
  
"Oh?"   
  
"Nothing bad. Just-I can't afford to be thought of as your pet reporter. So you can either have a   
business relationship with me or a social one, but not both."   
  
"What if I want both?" Lex asked silkily. "I don't settle well."   
  
She copied his raised eyebrow. "I don't see how making a choice is settling," she countered.   
  
"I see no need to be deprived of your journalistic skills because we're seeing each other on a   
personal level."   
  
"Are we seeing each other, then?"   
  
"I think it's a distinct possibility," Lex murmured. "Is that a problem?"   
  
His lips were almost touching hers. She had no idea when that had happened and didn't really care   
either way. "...no," she breathed, half-closing her eyes.  
  
Lex's mouth brushed over hers, lightly. "Good," he whispered.   
  
The second kiss was longer, deeper; his hand cupped the back of her head and drew her closer while   
his tongue coaxed her mouth open.   
  
"Mr. Luthor? Miss Sullivan?" The loud voices from outside made them both jump apart.   
  
"In here," Lex called back. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal a security team.  
  
"Not bad," Chloe said dryly. "It only took you-" she glanced at her watch. "Half an hour to find   
us. Oh, but I don't know how long we were both unconscious, so maybe that was longer. Of   
course, that's begging the question of how you managed to let this happen in the first place." She   
stood and turned to face Lex, tapping one finger against her lips. "What do you think, Mr. Luthor?   
Should I do an article on the hazards of LexCorp?" Her eyes sparkled.   
  
Lex rose as well. "I have a counter-proposal. Why don't I call a doctor and get your head checked   
out, to make sure everything's fine-then we can discuss your research over lunch, perhaps?"   
  
She nodded, wincing as the movement jarred her headache. "As long as you get checked out as   
well," she told him.   
  
"This way." He led her past his security team without so much as a glance in their direction.   
  
After being told her head was fine and given aspirin and an ice pack, she was escorted back up to   
Lex's office. "Obviously, there's no way I can adequately apologize for the events of this   
morning," he said, sitting down opposite her again.   
  
"Which part? Getting hit over the head or being kissed by you?" Chloe teased.  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. "So I have an offer for you," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. She   
would have been miffed had she not seen the dry humor in his eyes. "If you're willing to keep quiet   
about what happened, I'll give you an exclusive series on LexCorp. Four articles' worth, including   
interviews with myself and my top staff. I'll even sweeten the deal by offering you the   
opportunity to be my shadow for a day or two-although, of course, you'd have to sign an NDA   
about certain information."   
  
"You really don't want this leaking, do you," she murmured. "As payoffs go, this one's definitely   
up there." Chloe settled back and thought for a moment. The sensible part of her told her to forget   
it. The journalist in her told her to grab the opportunity and hang on for dear life. "Exclusive to the   
Planet, or-"  
  
Lex shook his head slightly. "Exclusive to you. As I said before, I respect your journalistic ethics.   
I can't say the same for other members of the Planet's staff."   
  
"All right." She smiled and held out her hand. "You've got a deal." 


	2. Old Friends

Chapter 2-Old Friends   
  
"Sullivan-White wants to see you. Now," she was told as soon as she walked into the newsroom the next morning.  
  
"Great," she muttered under her breath. She dropped her jacket on her chair and snagged a cup of horrible coffee before rapping on her editor's door. "You wanted to see me?" she asked, poking her head in.  
  
"Sullivan, yeah, come on in. Shut the door." Her editor, Perry White, looked up from a pile of papers and tossed a pen down on the desk, leaning back in his chair. "I got a phone call this morning," he said, looking at her. "Sit down, would you?"   
  
Chloe dropped into a squeaky chair and tried not to look too nervous. "Something going on?" she asked.  
  
"You could say that. So-I got a phone call this morning from Roberta Steinberg, head of PR for LexCorp. Apparently you made quite an impression on Lex Luthor yesterday." He linked his hands across his chest and regarded her with a steady, thoughtful gaze.   
  
"The interview seemed to go well," she admitted.  
  
"He's offering you an exclusive, Sullivan. A four-part series on LexCorp, with almost unparalleled access to get information."   
  
Chloe nodded; she'd expected this. "That's-rather generous of him," she said carefully.   
  
"Generous? *Generous?* Sullivan, Luthor doesn't *give* interviews. And now he's offering you a four-part series. Do you have some kind of info on him I should know about?"   
  
She shook her head, not wanting to divulge her old friendship; she couldn't have said why.   
  
"So. You're on special assignment until this is done, which means you report to Luthor for as long as it takes. You'll check in with me every two days or so."   
  
Talk about putting a strain on her ethics, she thought ruefully.   
  
"Obviously, you'll need someone to handle your regular workload here while you're gone. So meet him." He stood and walked around to the door, opening it and motioning for someone to enter. "Chloe Sullivan, meet-"  
  
"Clark!" She was out of her seat with her arms around him before he even finished. "Oh my God, *Clark*-"  
  
He lifted her effortlessly, enveloping her in a Clark hug that left her with her legs wrapped around his waist for balance and her head buried in his shoulder. She was desperately afraid she was going to start crying. "Why didn't you *tell* me?" she demanded, looking up at him. "You disappear after college, all I get are letters and postcards for three *years* and now you show up? You're such an ass!" She smacked him in the shoulder.   
  
"Sorry," he said sheepishly.   
  
"Oh, God-" She sniffed and hugged him tighter.   
  
"I see I don't have to introduce you two," White commented dryly. Chloe gave a choked laugh and slid down to the ground reluctantly. She kept one arm around Clark's waist, and she knew she was grinning like a total idiot.   
  
"Clark and I have known each other since third grade," she admitted.   
  
"Good, then I won't worry about you two being able to work together. You're not cleared for an assistant but unofficially Kent's here to help you if you need it." White sat back down behind his desk. "God, Sullivan, could you turn down the wattage? I'm getting blinded over here."   
  
She flushed but couldn't wipe the grin off her face.  
  
"All right, all right, I'm getting sick here. Sullivan-go, show him around, he's got the desk by yours. And then get out of here until the two of you are ready to *work*." He picked up a pen and began scrutinizing one of the papers on his desk. "Go!" he barked.  
  
"Sure thing, chief." Chloe grabbed Clark's hand and pulled him back into the newsroom, grinning. "Come on, Clark."   
  
"And *don't* call me Chief!" White yelled after them.  
  
It didn't take her long to show Clark around and get him set up at his desk. "It's early, but how about I buy you lunch and explain what's going on?" she offered.   
  
Clark nodded, grinning. "You know, Chloe-I didn't think it was possible, but you've got *more* energy than you did in high school. Did you make a pact with the Devil or something?"   
  
"I've got a picture upstairs that's aging and looks hideous." She grinned. "Chinese okay?"   
  
Over General Tso's chicken and fried rice, she explained. "So after we got *out* of there, Lex essentially offered me a deal. And I figure I can find out what's going on over there. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Clark-Lex is notoriously press-unfriendly. This could *make* my career."   
  
Clark nodded, smiling a little. "Just be careful," he cautioned.  
  
"Always." She popped a piece of chicken into her mouth.   
  
"Uh, Chloe-you may be careful, but it still didn't save you from a knock over the head."   
  
She rolled her eyes and swallowed. "Okay, I'll be *more* careful."   
  
"All right." Clark gave her one of his thousand-watt smiles-the kind that used to make her melt. She was mildly surprised to find it just made her smile back now.   
  
Christ, she had it bad. Clark beaming at her just made her smile; a smirk from Lex and she wanted to-well, never mind that. She had to stay professional until the series was done. So she was *not* going to remember the way his mouth felt on hers, or the way he kissed-intent and thorough-or anything else. Including how much she wanted to find out what was under the perfectly tailored clothes-  
  
-her cell phone rang, interrupting that train of thought. Thankfully. With an apologetic glance at Clark, she flipped it open. "Sullivan," she said briefly.  
  
"So we're back to last names now?" Lex's voice asked silkily.   
  
Wonderful. She didn't even bother asking how he'd gotten her personal cell number. "Something I can do for you?" she asked, leaning back in her chair.  
  
He laughed. "Many things, Chloe. But unfortunately this is a purely business call. I understand your editor officially assigned you to me this morning?"  
  
"To the series, yes," she corrected.   
  
"That being the case, we have some details to work out. Would you care to meet me for dinner tonight and we can discuss them?"   
  
No, not really. She'd much rather meet him in his office. Dinner was too intimate, too-personal. "Sure, that sounds fine," she said lightly. "Where and when?"   
  
"I'll pick you up at seven."   
  
"All right."   
  
Not until she'd hung up did Chloe remember that she'd never told Lex where she lived. Then again-he had her cell phone number. Finding her address wasn't going to be hard.   
  
"Was that Lex?" Clark asked, nodding at her phone.  
  
"Yeah. We're meeting for dinner tonight to discuss stuff." She shrugged. "I'd invite you along, but-"  
  
"It's all right," he interrupted, smiling. "Work first."   
  
"As long as it *stays* work, I'm fine," she muttered.  
  
"What?" Clark frowned. "Chloe, he's not-harassing you or anything, is he?"   
  
"No, no, nothing like that. I just-I get the impression he's interested in me. But I won't compromise my integrity if I'm reporting about him." She shrugged.   
  
"That's probably a wise move," Clark agreed. "Just watch out. You know how persuasive Lex can be."   
  
"Clark. You *know* how stubborn *I* can be."   
  
"Yes, and I'd rather not see the immovable object meet the irresistible force in my lifetime." Clark grinned at her.   
  
"I promise to try and not explode the galaxy," Chloe retorted. "I make *no* guarantees about Lex."   
  
He sighed, looking down. "I guess that'll have to do," he said mournfully.  
  
"Since when did you become such a smartass?"   
  
"I had to in self-defense, so I could keep up with you!"   
  
Chloe looked at him for a moment before dissolving into laughter. "I really missed you, Clark," she said, wiping her eyes. "And I haven't forgiven you for just taking off, either. That was a really shitty thing to do-not just to me, but to Pete, and Lana, and-everyone."  
  
"I know." Clark toyed with his napkin absently. "It was just-something I had to do." He looked up and met her eyes. "You know?"  
  
"Yeah." Chloe smiled a little. "Yeah, I know what that's like."   
  
"So what does your fortune cookie say?" Clark asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Ummm." Chloe broke it in half and drew out the slip of paper. "Good news will soon come your way." She grinned. "I like this one. What's yours say?"   
  
"Prejudice is the child of ignorance." Clark made a face. "I could have gotten that from my dad."   
  
"Poor thing."   
  
"So, you gonna show me around Metropolis?"   
  
"Clark, you went to college here." Chloe gave him a Look, crumbling her cookie. "It hasn't changed all that much in the past few years."  
  
"Yeah, but the hangout spots have. We're not college kids any more." Clark smiled a little sheepishly. "Besides-I want to spend time with you. I missed you."   
  
"Well, in *that* case, I'm at your disposal. Let me just pay for this and we'll be on our way."   
  
"What do I owe you?"  
  
"Nothing," she said, getting out her wallet. "Lunch is on me. Don't argue, I'm sure you'll buy me a meal at some point." She looked up at him, her expression daring him to try and protest.  
  
"All right, I'm not even going to bother trying." Clark smiled and adjusted his glasses.  
  
"That reminds me," Chloe said, tossing some bills on the table. "When did your eyes go south?"  
  
Clark looked startled for a moment. "Oh-these? I got them shortly after college. I guess all that studying strained my eyes."   
  
She laughed and linked her arm through his. "Fair enough. I'm still dreading the point when I need some form of vision correction myself. So where would you like to go today?"   
  
  
They had a wonderful afternoon wandering around Metropolis, visiting old hangouts and exploring new ones. Chloe took him to a few of her favorite spots-not all, there were a couple she wanted to keep to herself, like the little Greek deli next to the used bookstore where both owners knew her by name.   
  
She didn't realize how late it was until the sky started darkening. When she glanced at her watch, she was dismayed to see it was quarter to six. "Clark, I've got to go," she said reluctantly. "Lex is picking me up at seven and I've got to shower and change."   
  
"I understand." He grinned. "Gotta impress the boss, right?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "He's not my boss. He's-"  
  
"Giving you the opportunity of a lifetime. Go on, get ready-but I want a full report tomorrow!"   
  
"Yes, dear," she said, laughing. She hugged him again and gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading in the direction of her apartment.  
  
What the hell was she supposed to wear? Standing in front of her closet, dressed in a towel, Chloe flipped through clothes impatiently. This was a business dinner. But she couldn't afford to be at any sort of disadvantage where Lex was concerned, which meant she needed to look her best.   
  
She decided on a blue dress that had a stand-up collar and keyhole neckline. It ended just above the knee, which was fine-she wished it was longer but the length made it look more professional. No jewelry save for her watch, simple black pumps, minimal makeup, and a simple hairstyle. She was going for professional, not seductive.   
  
Two minutes to seven, Lex buzzed. "Be right down," she said over the intercom. Jacket, where was-ah, okay. Her bag was already waiting-one last glance in the mirror and she was out the door.  
  
Lex was leaning against his car, looking edible-stop that!-in a dark blue shirt and black slacks. His shirt was just a few shades deeper than her dress, she noted in amusement. It accented his eyes beautifully. God, she was in trouble. "I thought we'd have dinner at my place," he said, opening the door for her. "It's just easier in terms of information and such. Is that all right?"  
  
"Sure, that's fine." His place-which meant his bedroom. Oh, he was playing games here. Chloe settled into the car and thought about exploding galaxies. 


	3. Meals and Deals

Lex's penthouse suited him, Chloe decided. Sleek, elegant, and clearly belonging to a man with both the means and the interest to indulge his hobbies. She smiled when she saw the framed 'Warrior Angel' comic cover, hanging next to some painting she couldn't identify. "Ah, I see you've discovered my guilty pleasure," Lex said, following her gaze. "If you promise not to tell I'll show you the collection-I have them all."   
  
She laughed. "Maybe later. If it makes you feel better, I used to collect front pages of the New York Times. I still have a box of yellowed newspapers in the back of my closet."   
  
"Always the journalist, Chloe?" Lex took her jacket and hung it up; his hands brushed over her arms as he took it off. She didn't think it was an accident. "Do you live on the record?"  
  
His voice sounded too close to her ear; she turned and found herself practically in his arms. "Even ambitious reporters get a night off now and then-which this isn't," she said briskly, stepping away from him. "You did tell me this was a business dinner."   
  
Lex smiled. "So I did. Please, follow me-as it's just the two of us I thought we could eat in the living room. It's less formal than the dining room."   
  
He didn't miss a trick, did he? Less formal-she stepped into the living room and nearly turned and fled. A small table in front of a fireplace, complete with candles on the table and a single yellow rose across her plate-if she remembered correctly, yellow meant friendship. "Business dinner my ass," she muttered under her breath. If all Lex had on his mind tonight was work, she'd eat her bag.   
  
"Have a seat, please." Lex held her chair and made sure she was settled before sitting opposite her. "Would you care for some wine?"   
  
"No, thank you-I don't drink while I'm working." Chloe picked up the rose and breathed in its scent before setting it aside.   
  
"Not even a glass?" Lex raised an eyebrow. "I hate to think how you survive cocktail parties."   
  
"Those are different-alcohol's required in order to make it through those without dying of boredom." She smiled. "Unlike here, where the company requires my full concentration."   
  
"I'm not sure whether to be pleased or dismayed that you think having dinner with me is such an-invigorating experience."   
  
"I've always enjoyed a challenge," Chloe said sweetly. Let him make of that what he would.  
  
He smiled, conceding the point. "So-I'm willing to wager the gossip in the Planet's newsroom is all about how one Chloe Sullivan, up-and-coming reporter, managed to finagle not only an interview, but a four-part exclusive series on the infamously reclusive LexCorp and its CEO." Lex raised an eyebrow. "Am I right?"  
  
"I don't know, really-I haven't been around the newsroom today. But I don't think you're wrong. Let's see if I can figure out the theories-either I'm blackmailing you, or it's a puff piece, or I'm just so talented in bed that I've got you wrapped around my little finger."   
  
"I like that last one," Lex commented.  
  
"I'm sure you do." Chloe sipped her water to cover the flush that rose in her cheeks at the thought of being in bed. With Lex. What it would be like to feel his skin against-stop. She had work to do.  
  
Over dinner, which was delicious even if she wasn't paying attention to the food, they hammered out a preliminary contract. His terms were reasonable-surprisingly so, in fact. "I have to say, Lex, I'm impressed. I really don't see anything problematic here." Chloe smiled and put down the papers.   
  
He shrugged. "I figure that if I can keep you happy, you'll be more favorable in your article." The voice was deadpan; the eyes were not.  
  
"I'm not bought that easily," she warned. "As I recall, you offered me the article because you admired my sense of fairness."   
  
"Hoist by my own petard," he murmured. "Fair enough." He looked down at his wineglass for a moment, twirling the stem idly. "So, are we off the record now?"   
  
"That depends. What's on your mind?"   
  
Lex's eyes darkened and he smiled slightly. "Many things, Chloe." He rose and walked around behind her, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders. "Right now I'm wondering what it'll take to get you to mix business and pleasure."   
  
"I told you already, Lex-I won't see you personally while I'm working on a story about you." She refused to move, even when he brushed a kiss over the back of her neck and she shivered.  
  
"I can be patient." He moved away; she turned and saw him standing by the fireplace. "You won't be writing this series forever."   
  
"So sure of yourself, aren't you?"   
  
"I kissed you, Chloe," he said softly. "I felt your mouth under mine, your body against mine. Even with a knock on the head I remember how you felt. If you're going to tell me you felt nothing, you're a damned poor liar."   
  
Chloe bit her lip, dropping her eyes. "I won't compromise my ethics, Lex."   
  
"I'm not asking you to. You'll have the information you need in a few weeks-and then we'll see." He sat down again, smiling a little. "But if you're expecting me to stop flirting with you within that time, you're sadly mistaken."   
  
"You're determined to test my resolve, aren't you?" she asked wryly.  
  
Lex smiled. "Should be interesting, don't you think?"   
  
"I'm not going to cave."   
  
"And I'm not going to act as though I'm not interested in you."   
  
"Well," Chloe said lightly. "This will be an-interesting-experience."   
  
"I look forward to it." Lex nodded in a brief salute. "Would you care for dessert?"   
  
She ended up staying longer at Lex's than she'd intended; once the business part of the conversation was over they'd moved on to discussing everything from art to books to politics-and everything inbetween. She'd finally dragged herself away shortly before midnight.   
  
"I'll see you tomorrow," Lex said, stopping the car outside her apartment building. "You shouldn't have any problems with security."  
  
"Thank you." She had one hand on the door handle but didn't open it just yet. "I-I had a good time tonight, Lex," Chloe admitted.   
  
"As did I." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, lightly. "Join me for lunch tomorrow?"   
  
"Let's deal with that tomorrow." She smiled and got out of the car, not looking back as she unlocked her door and went inside.  
  
  
She didn't see Lex the next morning; she arrived at the building at 8 and he was already there. The receptionist said that he usually arrived at work around seven and didn't leave much before six most nights. Chloe nodded, impressed but not really surprised.   
  
"Miss Sullivan," a pretty young woman greeted her when she got off the second elevator. "Mr. Luthor sends his apologies-he was unavoidably called into a conference call and couldn't meet you himself. But if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your office."   
  
Chloe nodded and followed her to a small room that had clearly been used for storage before becoming a temporary office. There were no windows, and the room was relatively bare. Just a desk with a phone on it and a chair-although the chair looked much nicer than her rattletrap back at the Planet. "Do you have your own computer or will you be needing one?" the woman asked.  
  
"I have my laptop," Chloe told her.   
  
The woman nodded. "The ethernet hookup is under the desk there, and you have your own line-just dial 9 to get an outside line. If you need anything else, like office supplies and such, the closet's down the hall on your left. Mr. Luthor said he would stop by when he could, but if you need anything before then, please call me-I'm extension 2083."  
  
"Thanks, and I do have one question." Chloe settled her bag on the desk and smiled, looking at her. "What's your name?"  
  
"Oh!" The woman laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm Marie Chambers-Mr. Luthor's assistant. Please, call me Marie."  
  
"Only if you call me Chloe." She grinned. "How long have you been working for Lex?"   
  
"I got my MBA from Harvard two years ago and have been here ever since, but I was just promoted to Mr. Luthor's assistant six months ago. His previous assistant transferred over to the equipment department as a VP."   
  
"So I take it you're more than a glorified secretary?" Chloe half-expected Marie to take offense, but she didn't-she laughed heartily instead.  
  
"Some days yes, some days no. It all depends." Marie smiled. "Would you like some coffee? I don't know about you, but I can't get started without it."   
  
"I would *love* some coffee," Chloe said fervently. "Point me toward the caffeine and you've got a friend for life."   
  
"With an offer like that, how could I refuse?" Marie smiled again. "Follow me."   
  
The coffee was excellent-'It's Mr. Luthor's personal blend,' Marie had explained-and fifteen minutes later Chloe was setting up her laptop and settling in. Time to check in at the office.   
  
"White," her editor answered gruffly.  
  
"Hey, it's Sullivan. I'm here, everything's fine. I wanted to give you my number here-" she read it off the phone. "I met with Le-Luthor last night and we worked out details. I have to say, he's being incredibly generous with this."  
  
"You sure you don't have some info on him I should know about? Never mind, I don't want to know. Just be careful, Sullivan. He didn't get to be where he is by being a pushover."  
  
"Believe me, chief, I know that." She held the phone away from her ear, waiting for his usual bellow of 'Don't call me chief!'   
  
"You do realize, by the way, that the newsroom hasn't decided if you're the next thing since Woodward and Bernstein or if you're just sleeping with him?" he said once he'd yelled at her. "Watch your back around here, too."  
  
Chloe sighed. "Yeah, I know. Hey, can you transfer me to Clark? I want to talk to him for a second."   
  
"Yeah." She heard the click of the hold button; a moment later, the phone was picked up again.  
  
"Clark Kent," he said politely.  
  
"Don't get to used to my beat," she said wryly. "I'll want it back sometime."   
  
He laughed. "Chloe, hi! What can I do for you?"   
  
"At the moment, not much. Just letting you know where you can reach me."  
  
"So-um-how'd last night go?" Clark asked.  
  
Chloe glanced up, making sure no one was around. "It went well. Relax, I didn't compromise my virtue-or my ethics."   
  
"I didn't think you would. Just-wondering, that's all."   
  
She could almost *feel* the awkward flush across the phone lines and had to laugh. "Catch you for dinner tonight?" she offered.  
  
"Yeah, I'd like that. Um-"  
  
"I'll meet you at the Planet at seven, okay?" She was not leaving LexCorp before its CEO did.   
  
"Sounds good. I'll see you then."   
  
She hung up the phone and opened her email, wincing at the sheer influx of messages. "The worst part is it's not even spam," she muttered.  
  
"Settling in all right?" a smooth voice inquired from the doorway. She looked up and saw Lex leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. How he managed to make a slate-gray shirt, black pants, and tie look seductive, she had no idea.   
  
"Just fine, thanks," she said, ruthlessly clamping down on her hormones. "Your assistant was more than helpful."   
  
"Ah, yes, the frighteningly efficient Marie." Lex smiled. "She'll be here to help you in setting up interviews and making sure you have access to the information you need."   
  
Chloe smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate that."   
  
"Not a problem." Lex pushed away from the door casually. "So, about lunch?"   
  
"Do you like Greek?" she said impulsively.   
  
Oh. Hell. 


	4. The Plot Thickens

Marie lived up to Lex's description of her--frighteningly efficient indeed, Chloe thought, seeing the binders of information Marie had dropped off by ten. "Most of what's in here is public record or press releases, but it should be enough to get you started. Once again, if you have any questions, please call me. Mr. Luthor has asked me to help you in any way I can, since he won't always be available." She smiled and left.  
  
"Trust Lex to find a personal assistant that's brilliant, more efficient than God, and beautiful, too," Chloe muttered, opening the first binder. Not that she was jealous or anything. Lex wouldn't be dumb enough to sleep with his assistant. And besides, the society pages had a full record of every woman he'd been seen with in the past year, and the lovely Marie Chambers wasn't among them.   
  
Not that she'd looked.   
  
Three hours later, she had masses of notes on the history of LexCorp (previously LuthorCorp) and enough of an idea about an outline that she decided lunch was a good option. That, and her stomach was grumbling loudly in protest about its lack of fuel. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. All right. Food time.  
  
"You said something about Greek food, I believe?" Lex asked, appearing in her doorway.   
  
"How do you *do* that?" she asked. "You show up just as I decide I need lunch, you show up just as I get off the phone--how do you do that?"  
  
He smirked. "I came by around quarter after noon, but you were so engrossed in your work you didn't even notice me. So I decided to come back and forcibly remove you, if I had to."   
  
She grinned and stood, grabbing her bag. "No force necessary, I'll come along willingly."   
  
Lex smiled and ushered her out the door. "So where would you like to go?"   
  
  
The little deli was a ten-minute walk from the LexCorp building; Chloe spent most of it wondering what the hell had gotten into her. It was silly, but she thought of the deli as 'her' place. She hadn't wanted to bring Clark there, even--and now, here she was, walking along with Lex. She was *so* screwed...  
  
"Chloe!" the owner greeted her when she walked in. "You don't like us anymore?"   
  
She laughed and ducked behind the counter to kiss him on the cheek. "I've been busy."   
  
"Mm-hmm. So are you gonna introduce me to your friend?"   
  
"Oh, right--Mr. Popolous, this is my friend Lex. Lex, this is Mr. Popolous, who makes the best gyros you'll ever eat."   
  
Lex smiled and held out his hand for Mr. Popolous to shake. "Nice to meet you," he said politely.  
  
"Please, it's Dimitri. So--you want the usual?" he asked Chloe, who had gone over to peruse the drinks.   
  
"For two." Chloe snagged two bottles of iced tea and handed one to Lex, twisting the top off hers.  
  
"Oh, Chloe--Paulette next door has your book. But you don't get it until you eat." Mr. Popolous pointed a spoon at her. "I say so."   
  
"You say so, huh?" Chloe laughed.   
  
"She doesn't eat enough," Mr. Popolous said to Lex, who smiled a little.   
  
"I do so," Chloe protested, licking iced tea off her upper lip. She saw Lex's gaze drop to her mouth and flushed.   
  
"Uh huh." Mr. Popolous handed her a bag. "There you go."  
  
"How much do I owe you?" Chloe asked, taking it.  
  
"Don't worry about it, just come back more."   
  
"But--"  
  
"Don't argue with me." Mr. Popolous grinned. "You'll be back. But this one's on me."   
  
She sighed and put her wallet back in her messenger bag. "All right."   
  
As they left the deli, Chloe handed Lex a foil-wrapped oblong. "I'm not sure if this is a souvlaki or a gyro," she admitted. "But eat it anyway." She took another one out of the bag and unwrapped it, biting into the pita hungrily. "Well, this one's a gyro," she said, swallowing.  
  
Lex took a bite of his own. "This one's--not." He took another bite. "I see why you like this place."  
  
"One of my first discoveries in Metropolis." Chloe took a swig of her iced tea and grinned. "And Paulette, who runs the bookstore next door, is just amazing. Speaking of which, I have to run in."   
  
Lex nodded. "All right."   
  
She ducked into the bookstore, exchanging a cheery hello with the girl behind the counter before Paulette came out. "Chloe! Your book's in. You want it now?"   
  
"Yeah, please." Chloe grinned and took the wrapped package Paulette handed her. "How much?"  
  
"Twenty," Paulette told her.  
  
Chloe gave her a disbelieving look. "That's not enough."  
  
"I got a good deal."   
  
"Paulette--"  
  
"It's twenty dollars, Chloe," Paulette said firmly. "Pay up."  
  
Chloe sighed and dug out her wallet, handing Paulette two ten-dollar bills. "Thanks, Paulette."  
  
"You want me to keep looking for the others?"   
  
"Yeah, could you?"  
  
"Not a problem. I'll call you if I find anything."   
  
"Thanks again." Chloe tucked the package under her arm and left the store, blinking in the bright sunlight. "Hey," she said, seeing Lex leaning against a nearby signpost.  
  
"Get what you needed?" he asked as they began walking back to the LexCorp building.  
  
She grinned. "My guilty secret--I collect old mysteries. Not really old ones, but--like Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden and all those. Paulette found me a couple I thought were out of print."   
  
"Somehow, I'm not surprised you're a mystery reader," Lex commented.   
  
"I have a one-track mind." Chloe smiled. "I like solving puzzles."   
  
"Really," Lex murmured. "That could be interesting."   
  
"We'll see if you still think that way after my article," she countered.   
  
Lex just smiled and held the door for her.   
  
  
The rest of her day was spent buried in research; she needed to be able to have a basic grasp of what Lex's scientists were up to before she started interviewing them. It was tough going, especially as she really didn't care for science. She ended up having to ask Marie for a dictionary just to look up some of the terms.   
  
Around six, she finally packed up her notes and headed out, intending to stop back at her apartment and shower before meeting Clark for dinner. If she hurried, she'd have just enough time.   
  
As it turned out, she was about ten minutes late. "Sorry," she said breathlessly, running up the steps to the building. "I had some hot water issues."   
  
Clark smiled. "It's okay. Where do you want to go eat?"   
  
They decided on a pub that had been one of their favorite spots in college. The beer selection was as excellent as ever, the burgers were hot and juicy, and the noise level was high enough they could have been trading national secrets and no one would have heard.   
  
"So," Chloe said, gesturing with a french fry. "Where have you *been* these past three years?"   
  
"Traveling. I know it sounds corny, but--I just kind of wanted to see the world. So I worked my way around. Trading labor for rooms, stuff like that." Clark shrugged. "It's been enlightening."  
  
"I bet. You could probably write a fascinating series on your travels, too."   
  
"Maybe. I hadn't thought about it." Clark swallowed a bite of his burger.   
  
"Have you told anyone else you're back in town? Pete, Lana--Lex?"  
  
"I called Pete yesterday, but Lana's out of town."   
  
Chloe sipped her beer. "Not Lex?" she asked.  
  
"I figured you'd have told him, since you're working with him."   
  
"Clark, please. I wouldn't do that. And anyway, I'm trying to keep that strictly professional. So spill, how come you haven't told him?"   
  
"I don't know." Clark shrugged again. "It's different now, you know? He's not the guy I knew back in Smallville."  
  
"He's still your friend, though," Chloe argued. Clark didn't respond right away; she frowned and leaned over the table. "Isn't he?"   
  
"Yeah. Yeah, he is."   
  
For some reason, Chloe didn't find that statement to be reassuring. "So," she said brightly. "How's the Planet treating you?"   
  
  
Clark walked her home after dinner; his building was apparently not too far from hers. "If you want to come by tomorrow for dinner, I can throw some stuff together," she offered, digging out her keys. "I hate cooking for myself, but with two..."  
  
"Um--yeah, that sounds good." Clark grinned. "Can I trust you in the kitchen?"   
  
"Hey!" Chloe swatted at him playfully and he ducked, laughing. "Be nice or I'll put peas in whatever I make."  
  
"I can't believe you *remember* that!"   
  
She grinned. "Never underestimate the power of a journalist's memory."   
  
"I'll keep that in mind." Clark grinned back.   
  
"All right, I've got to go--I have work to do before I sleep. Come by tomorrow around seven, okay?"   
  
"See you then."   
  
Chloe ran up the steps and unlocked the door to her building, waving at Clark before she headed inside. She had at least two hours of studying ahead of her before she could hope to have an understanding of what the new program actually *did*. "God, I hate science," she muttered, changing into pajamas and settling down to go through her notes.  
  
She fell asleep somewhere around one, after barely remembering to set her alarm for six. It looked like it was going to be a double-espresso day already...  
  
Buzz. Buzz. Chloe rubbed her eyes and stumbled over to the intercom, buzzing back before realizing that at--3:38am, the person on the other end was either a sadistic criminal or someone with really bad news.   
  
"Chloe?"   
  
Okay, that wasn't the voice of a sadistic criminal--well, unless Lex was up to things she didn't know about. She unlocked the door and let him in, blinking. "Lex, what the hell?" she asked, pushing hair off her face.  
  
"Figures," he said cryptically. "I get to see you mostly undressed and I can't do anything about it." He stepped in, looking around. "Get some stuff together, you've got to go."  
  
"Go where? Why?" Chloe looked down at her worn tank top that ended above her navel and the baggy cotton pants that started at her hips and flushed briefly. "What's going on?"  
  
"There was a break-in at LexCorp tonight--an inside job, it had to be. Whoever it was took apart your office, apparently looking for notes. You're not safe here."   
  
Chloe's brain took a moment to process that; while it did, her body went on autopilot and started throwing things into a duffel bag. "My notes weren't there," she said briefly, tossing in some toiletries on top of jeans and shirts. "They're in my laptop."  
  
"I figured as much." Lex kept glancing around, as if making sure no one was there.   
  
She pulled on a hooded sweatshirt and sneakers, slinging the duffel over one shoulder and picking up her laptop case. "So what's the game plan now?" she asked, grabbing her keys.  
  
"I can provide security for you, either at a hotel of your choice or at my place. Unless you have someplace else you'd rather go."   
  
"Um." Chloe thought for a minute. "Actually," she said slowly, "I have an idea."   
  
If she'd been half-dressed, Clark was even less so. He answered his door in a pair of unbuttoned blue jeans and nothing else. Chloe repressed the small shiver that ran through her body at the sight of Clark shirtless--okay, it was horrible timing and she wasn't interested, but she was still *female*! Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lex's mouth quirk briefly. Well, that wasn't a surprise either.   
  
"Chloe?" Clark said sleepily. "What's going on?" 


	5. Late Night Tales

"It's a long story," Chloe said, brushing past him.  
  
"Uh--" Clark looked at her in confusion, then turned to look back at Lex, who followed her into the apartment and shut the door.   
  
"There was a break-in at LexCorp tonight," Lex said, shutting the deadbolt. "Whoever did it hit Chloe's office."   
  
"So why are you *here*?" Clark asked, sitting down on his battered couch.  
  
"Because if Lex is right, my apartment isn't safe." Chloe plopped down on the floor. "And I trust you."  
  
"Okay." Clark ran a hand through his hair. "What do you need?"   
  
It was really nice, Chloe thought, to have friends like Clark.   
  
"Chloe needs a place to stay for the next couple of days, at least until we figure out what's going on and stop it. I've got security on it already, and there's a guard at your building should anyone stop by. But I don't want to take chances." Lex leaned against the wall.  
  
"So kind of you," Chloe murmured. "Chloe can make her own decisions, thank you." Which she could--and leaving her apartment had been the right one to make at the time.  
  
"I'm not disputing that," Lex said. "And, as you've chosen Clark's hospitality over my own--"  
  
"For professional reasons," Chloe interjected. "I told you, I won't risk compromising my ethics."   
  
Clark looked from one to the other, then shook his head and stood up. "I need coffee," he muttered.  
  
"Can you make enough for two?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Three," Lex added.  
  
"I'm making a pot," Clark called back from the kitchen area. "A big one."   
  
"Good idea." Chloe rubbed her eyes and rested her cheek against her knees. "God, I don't even want to think about going into work," she grumbled.  
  
"I think it would be understandable if you took the day," Lex commented.  
  
She looked up at him. "Will you be there?"  
  
Lex nodded.  
  
"Then so will I."   
  
"Admirable of you."   
  
"More like sheer bloody stubbornness." Chloe put her head down again.  
  
"Well, that too."   
  
Clark came back, carrying two mugs. He gave one to Lex and set the other one down by Chloe, returning a moment later with his own mug. "So I'm guessing this is related to the whole getting locked in the closet thing?" he asked, sitting down on the couch.  
  
For the briefest of moments, Lex looked surprised. "You told him?" he asked Chloe.  
  
"He's one of my best friends," Chloe retorted. "If I didn't trust him with my life, we wouldn't be here now."   
  
Lex shrugged minutely, conceding the point. "We don't know yet, but it would be--foolish to ignore the likelihood that the two events are related."   
  
Chloe sipped her coffee--instant, blech--and tried to make her brain focus, with minimal success. "Can I make a proposal here?"  
  
"I'm flattered, Chloe, but I thought you wanted to wait." Lex looked at her innocently over his mug and she barely resisted the urge to turn five and throw something at him.  
  
"Seriously. It's four in the morning and we're all wiped. Why don't we get a few hours sleep and meet to discuss this at--say--eight?"   
  
"All of us?" Lex asked.  
  
"Clark's part of this, Lex. If you trust me, you trust him." Chloe met his eyes steadily. When the hell had the two men become such strangers? She decided it was something she needed to find out. Soon.   
  
Lex set his mug down on the battered coffee table and straightened up. "My offices, eight am?" he suggested. "I'll leave word that Clark is to be allowed in with you."   
  
Chloe nodded. "Sounds good to me."   
  
"I'll have to call Perry," Clark said. "But yeah, that should work."   
  
"I'll see you two then." Lex inclined his head in a goodbye and flipped the deadbolt before leaving. The door shut quietly behind him.  
  
"The bed's all set up--just let me grab a blanket and I'll crash out here," Clark said, getting to his feet.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm shorter. I'll take the couch." Chloe crawled onto it with some difficulty and curled up on her side. "Wake me at seven, kay?"   
  
Not surprisingly, she didn't sleep well, haunted by dreams of faceless intruders and shadowy burglars. After the third attempt to sleep failed, she gave up and crept into Clark's bedroom. He was sprawled out on his stomach, one arm hanging off the mattress. "Chlo?" he murmured, turning to her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Couldn't sleep," she admitted. "Didn't mean to wake you."   
  
"No, s'okay. C'mere." Clark shifted and patted the mattress next to him. Chloe crawled into the open space, closing her eyes. "Not like we haven't done this before," he mumbled, draping an arm over her.  
  
It was warm and heavy and she felt Clark breathing against her neck and it was exactly what she needed--a friendly body to hold her in the night.   
  
She was asleep before she finished that thought. 


	6. Mt. Paperwork

Clark's alarm went off at seven and they both fumbled to slap it off, resulting in Clark practically rolling on top of her. "Off," she grumbled, shoving at him.   
  
"Sorry."   
  
She rubbed her eyes and hid a yawn. "What's your water pressure like?"  
  
"It's decent, why?"   
  
"Dibs on the shower." Chloe grinned and slid out of bed, padding toward the bathroom. Clark protested behind her; she laughed and shut the door. He should have known better.  
  
Despite her best efforts, she was still pulling on her shirt when Clark emerged from the shower, flushed and damp. She told her hormones to settle down and ducked back into the bathroom to put on makeup and attempt to do something with her hair.   
  
"Chlo, come on, we're gonna be late," Clark called.  
  
She sighed and capped her lipstick. "All right, all right."   
  
They didn't have any problems getting through security, which was nice. Chloe wasn't surprised--if Lex said he was going to do something, he did it. And--okay, that was *not* where she needed her mind to go this morning.   
  
Sheesh, what was with her? She hadn't had this much trouble with her hormones in--hmm. Well, her last 'relationship' had been with Matthew, and that had been over a year and a half ago. Maybe the celibacy was getting to her, after all.  
  
And maybe it was time to forget about that for a bit longer and continue working on the story. Her sex life could remain as it was for a while longer.  
  
"Good morning," Lex said when they got off the elevator. He smiled a little and gestured toward a conference room. "Quiet night?"   
  
"Eventually," Chloe said. "And you?"  
  
Lex shrugged. "I managed." He looked like he'd had a full night's sleep--impeccably dressed as always, his eyes clear and sharp, but Chloe was willing to lay odds he hadn't slept at all. Maybe it was the lack of hair; there wasn't any stubble to make him look scruffy.   
  
The conference room was bright with sunshine; a collection of various pastries and fruit had been set out at one end of the long, glass-topped table. Chloe's attention was caught by the coffeemaker; she went right to it and poured herself a mug, inhaling the steam contentedly.   
  
"Help yourselves," Lex murmured dryly.   
  
"Mmm." Chloe took a seat on one side of the table; Clark sat down opposite her. Lex, unsurprisingly, took the chair at the head of the table after pouring himself some coffee.   
  
"You'll probably be pleased to know that no one came near your building last night," he told Chloe.   
  
She set her mug down. "But you don't think it's safe for me to go back there yet."   
  
Lex looked momentarily startled, then his face settled into its customary cool impassiveness. "No," he admitted. "Not until we find whoever's behind this."   
  
"I may be a bit naive, but why aren't we involving the police?" Clark spoke up.  
  
"Because this was an inside job, and frankly I don't want--and, for that matter, I can't afford--the negative publicity that would result from an official police investigation. I'll contact them once there's something to go on."   
  
"And how do you propose we go about finding information for them?" Chloe asked, taking a little muffin.  
  
"Frankly, I hadn't intended on involving you two in the actual investigation," Lex said.  
  
"Uh huh. Try again." Chloe leaned forward. "I'm not staying at my apartment because of this, Lex. I'm already involved. Deal with it."   
  
Clark just shrugged. "I think I have a right to be involved after you knocked on my door," he said mildly.  
  
Lex sipped his coffee. "I didn't think that would work," he said lightly. "But I figured I'd give it a try."   
  
"So. For real now. What's the game plan?" Chloe poked at her muffin absently, turning it into a pile of muffin crumbs.   
  
"There are only a few ways someone could have breached security to get in, and all of those involve both a working knowledge of the security systems here and a security clearance high enough to actually *manipulate* the systems. Needless to say, the first is much easier to get than the second." Lex set his mug down. "Unfortunately," he said wryly, "that still leaves us with about four dozen people as possibilities."   
  
"Sounds like we need to start figuring out who would want to sabotage you," Clark said.  
  
"Who wouldn't?" Lex countered.   
  
"I'm sure the 'yes, I am an evil villain' thing serves you well in ways I don't want to know about, but seriously, Lex--let's try and focus here. This didn't start until recently, with the new vegetable program." Chloe raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"More specifically, when you started researching it," Clark added.  
  
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, but I think it's safe to assume I'm not the target."   
  
"Normally I'd advise against assuming anything but I think you're probably right." Lex raised an eyebrow at Chloe's muffin demolition. "Do you have some repressed anger I should know about?"   
  
She looked down at the pile of crumbs and grinned. "Believe me, if I were angry you'd know it."  
  
"So would the rest of the office," Clark added.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "Sounds like we need to do some research," she said briskly. "Find out who among those four dozen people has a motive and then go from there."   
  
Lex nodded. "I had Marie compile the files on them. If you like, we can get started now."  
  
The sheer amount of paperwork was staggering, Chloe thought about an hour later. They'd divided the files, which meant each of them had somewhere between fifteen and twenty people. It was incredibly slow going, as well; they had to continually cross-check people's histories with Lex's business dealings. And of course there were things not in the files that they might be missing.   
  
Around noon, someone brought in food; Chloe had no idea who it had been. She just took a sandwich and a bottle of water and kept making notes.  
  
"All right," Lex said around two. "I think we've done as much as we can for the day--and we all have other work to do." He leaned back in his chair. "What's the tally?"  
  
"I've got three possibles," Chloe said, tossing her pen down on top of the files. "You?"  
  
"Three possibles, two maybes."   
  
Clark shrugged. "Two possibles--but it's a little hard to say someone's a possibility when we don't even know what we're looking for."   
  
"It might be worth it if we traded files to double-check each other," Chloe suggested. "Maybe later today?"   
  
"Sounds good." Lex stood, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Chloe, are you going to remain at Clark's for the time being?"   
  
"Until it's safe for me to go back to my place--which hopefully will be by tomorrow--yeah, I am." Chloe glanced at Clark. "That okay with you?"  
  
He grinned. "I'll manage somehow."   
  
"If you don't mind, then, we can continue this at your apartment later?" Lex asked Clark. "I'm afraid I have other work to do."  
  
"Me too," Chloe admitted. "I have to talk to Marie about setting up interviews."  
  
"Just be careful," Lex told her. "Some of the people you'll want to talk to--"  
  
"Are in here." Chloe nodded at the files. "Yeah, I know. I'll be fine." She smiled. "Be careful, Lex, or I'll start to think you care."   
  
Lex just raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
After making plans for the evening, the three of them went their separate ways. Clark had to go back to the Planet, Lex had things to take care of, and Chloe set about finding Marie and setting up interviews over the next few days. Strange as it was, she did have actual work to do that didn't involve finding a saboteur.   
  
Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't multi-task. Several of the people she wanted to talk to were on the list they'd compiled, and she had enough faith in her interviewing skills that she was confident she'd be able to sneak a few questions in. But that would all have to wait; it was nearing the end of the day by the time she finished with Marie. All in all, she was satisfied with the day's work.   
  
Now--time to head to her place to pick up a few things, then back to Clark's to do some more research, and a little investigating of her own, while she was at it. It was impossible to miss the strain between Clark and Lex, and she was determined to find out what had gone wrong. Back in high school, they'd been best friends, and now they barely looked at each other.   
  
Clark had changed into an old T-shirt and jeans by the time she knocked on his door. "Come on in," he said, grinning.   
  
"Thanks." She set her laptop bag down and tossed her jacket over it, stretching. "Lex'll be here at eight?"  
  
"Yeah." Clark's grin disappeared when he answered her. "You want something to drink?"  
  
"Water would be fantastic." Chloe dropped on the couch. "Clark--what happened between you and Lex?" Diplomacy was lost on Clark; he knew her too well.   
  
"Nothing happened." Clark handed her a bottle of water. "People change, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, so who changed here?"   
  
"I guess we both did." Clark shrugged and sat down next to her. "I don't hate him, or anything."  
  
"No, but you guys were so close in high school, and now you're like strangers."  
  
"It happens."   
  
Chloe wondered if Lex would provide any more answers. Somehow, she doubted it--but she wasn't going to let that stop her from finding out what had happened.  
  
A little before eight, Lex arrived with bags of Chinese food and a briefcase full of files. "I come bearing food," he said wryly as Chloe and Clark both tore into the bags. "I figured you hadn't eaten yet."  
  
"Clark's cooking skills are worse than mine," Chloe told him, opening a container of moo goo gai pan.   
  
"I haven't had time to go food shopping lately," Clark protested. He tossed Chloe a pair of chopsticks and opened the kung pao shrimp. "So where are we?"   
  
"Wading through paperwork." Chloe stole a shrimp from him. "And I think--yeah." She flipped through the file briefly, nodding. "Of the ten people we've got here, I have interviews with four of them. Leslie Garrett, Simon Young, Paul Kowalski, and Rich Manning."   
  
Lex nodded. "I'll be interested in seeing your perceptions of them."   
  
"I've got interviews with Leslie and Paul tomorrow, Simon the day after, and Rich the day after that."   
  
"Sounds like fun," Clark muttered around a bite of chicken.   
  
"If I ever manage to understand the science, it will be."   
  
"If you manage to understand the science, I'll hire you," Lex countered.   
  
Chloe grinned. "I don't think so."   
  
He shrugged and ate a piece of beef. "I can always find a use for talent," he said after swallowing.   
  
And there he went again with the double entendres. Chloe stabbed at her chicken a little more violently than she needed to. Damn, but he was relentless. Clark glanced from one of them to the other, but didn't say anything.   
  
"This is pointless," Clark finally said around nine-thirty. "We don't even know what we're looking for. Going over these files will only work once we have something to *go* on."   
  
"Unfortunately, I'd prefer to catch the saboteur *before* that happens," Lex pointed out. "I've already been hit over the head once, as has Chloe--"  
  
"Not to mention the break-in last night," she added.   
  
"Well, fine, but I still don't know what else we're going to accomplish here tonight."   
  
"If you'd like me to leave, Clark, all you have to do is say so," Lex said mildly.   
  
"I didn't say that," Clark snapped.  
  
"Guys. Chill for a bit. It's getting late, we're all tired, let's call it a night." And when the hell had she become the peacemaker?   
  
After one long moment, both the guys nodded. "All right," Lex said. "I'll see you at the office tomorrow, Chloe?"   
  
"I'll be there."   
  
Lex nodded and stood, picking up his briefcase. "Goodnight, Chloe." He nodded briefly. "Clark."  
  
"Lex." Clark nodded back coolly.   
  
When he was gone, Chloe threw a pillow at Clark. "What was that for?" he asked, catching it.  
  
"You're sleeping on the couch tonight," she grumbled. "And if I have to play peacemaker again, you--"  
  
"We weren't fighting!"  
  
"Only because I stepped in first." Chloe glared at him and stalked off to the bedroom.  
  
Of course, it didn't last. She'd never been able to stay mad at Clark. And she was just tired and edgy enough that Clark's big body next to hers was the only thing that let her sleep soundly.   
  
Then again, she always slept better when she was with Clark. He was the only person who knew about her nightmares. Sometimes she thought that if he hadn't been there in college, she never would have graduated.   
  
But that was another story. 


	7. Verbal Judo

6:44am  
Her cell phone rang way too early, jolting her out of a fuzzy dream. "Hello?" she mumbled into it.  
  
"How soon can you get here?" Lex asked tersely.  
  
"Wha?" Chloe pushed herself up in bed and rubbed her eyes. "Forty minutes, why?"   
  
"We have a problem. I'll meet you in the lobby at seven-thirty."  
  
"Bring coffee," she told him right before he clicked off.   
  
She made it to the LexCorp building with seven minutes to spare. Unsurprisingly, Lex was in the lobby waiting. As she approached him, he handed her an insulated mug. "Coffee, as requested," he said lightly. "Be careful, it's hot."   
  
"Mmm." Chloe sipped carefully. "So what's up?"  
  
"This way." He turned and headed toward the elevators; Chloe followed, hands wrapped around the mug, wondering what had happened.  
  
Lex punched in a code on the elevator and the doors slid shut easily. "Our mysterious vandal broke into the labs last night," he said as they descended. "Or I should say the lab area--whoever he is, he doesn't have the skills or the clearance to get into the labs themselves. But he still managed to do a significant amount of damage."   
  
The doors opened and they stepped out. "We had received a new shipment of chemicals yesterday. They were being held in one of the storerooms down here."  
  
"And now they're not?" Chloe hazarded.  
  
"Not exactly. Our vandal has a good working knowledge of chemistry--he tampered with the shipment. If Marie hadn't noticed that things looked a bit--off--" Lex looked grim. "It could have cost lives. As it was, the whole shipment was ruined, but no one was hurt."   
  
"Good for Marie," Chloe murmured.   
  
Lex nodded. "Here, I'll show you where the chemicals were--they're gone now, of course. Too hazardous to keep around people. We kept samples, but the rest are gone."   
  
As she wasn't a scientist or a police officer, she didn't expect to find much in the way of evidence. And from the looks of things, Lex and his people had the clean-up well in hand. "Well, there's an up side to this," she commented, watching Marie direct the clean-up team.  
  
"How so?"   
  
"We're inferring that all the sabotage has been the work of one man--or woman. So far all we've had to go on is his ability to work the security system. But this indicates he's got a good working knowledge of chemistry, which narrows our search parameters."   
  
Lex nodded thoughtfully. "Good point. Shall we go back to the files?"  
  
"I can barely contain my excitement at that prospect." Chloe grinned and followed him back to the elevator.   
  
  
8:32am  
Clark dropped into his seat and winced at the squeak it made; one of these days he was going to break it if he wasn't careful. While his computer booted up, he thought briefly about getting a cup of coffee and decided against it; the coffee at the Planet was worse than the stuff he made, if that was possible. And unlike Chloe, he hadn't developed a tolerance for it yet.  
  
The computer finished whirring at him and he opened his email, his thoughts wandering to Chloe and her involvement with Lex. Oh, he knew they weren't personally involved--yet, at any rate. But he was concerned. He'd kind of hoped they'd left the life-endangering situations behind in Smallville. "Maybe it's not me," he muttered, skimming through his email. "Maybe *she's* the trouble magnet."   
  
"Talking to yourself already?" a low, amused voice said over his shoulder. "Generally people don't start doing that for at least a few weeks."   
  
Clark started and turned to see a pair of long, long legs, shown off to advantage by a a black skirt that ended just above the knee. He looked up, seeing a beautiful face framed by thick dark hair. "I'm a quick learner," he said, smiling a little. Who was *this* and why hadn't he seen her before?   
  
She laughed and leaned on the edge of his desk. "Always a good thing." Extending one hand to him, she smiled and tilted her head to the side. "I'm Lois Lane, and you are?"   
  
He shook her hand--it was warm and dry, with a firm grasp, he noted absently. "Clark Kent. I just started a couple days ago."  
  
"Oh, so *you're* the one." Lois smiled.  
  
"The one?" Clark questioned.   
  
"The one who's filling in for Sullivan while she makes the rest of us turn green with envy," Lois explained lightly.   
  
Clark grinned. "Yeah--but I've been warned not to get too comfy doing it."   
  
"That doesn't surprise me."   
  
"Me either," Clark admitted. He loved Chloe, he really did, but 'territorial' didn't even come close to describing her.  
  
"So, listen--can I interest you in lunch today?" Lois asked, leaning back on her hands a little.   
  
"Uh--sure, that'd be great!" Clark grinned, but the grin faded when he realized he'd made tentative plans to meet Chloe. "Oh, I just--"  
  
"I mean, if you *have* plans--" Lois began.  
  
Chloe could take care of herself for one meal, Clark decided. "No, no, it's fine. I just need to call Chloe and let her know."   
  
Lois smiled and slid off his desk, straightening her skirt absently. Clark wondered if she knew how the movement drew attention to her legs. "I'll see you at lunchtime, then," she said lightly.  
  
"It's a date." Clark didn't miss the way Lois winked at him before strolling off.  
  
  
11:47am  
Chloe ran a hand through her hair and sighed, looking down at the papers strewn across the table. "Well, we're down to six," she said glumly.  
  
"I think we can knock a couple more off the list," Lex said, studying them.   
  
"Wonderful." She rubbed her eyes and hid a yawn. "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."   
  
"Clark keep you up late?" Lex asked mildly.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"I know it can be difficult to sleep somewhere that's not your own bed," he said easily.  
  
She shrugged. "I don't mind sleeping at Clark's, as long as I get my own place back soon. He hogs the covers."   
  
"So you're sharing the bed?" Lex asked, looking over at her.  
  
"His couch is too lumpy not to," she said with a grimace.   
  
"Mm-hmm." Lex turned back to the files, idly flipping through one.   
  
"What?" Chloe demanded. "Do you think I'm sleeping with him or something?"  
  
"I don't know, Chloe--should I think that?" Lex asked, looking up again. His face was carefully casual.  
  
"You're jealous," she realized slowly. "You're jealous of Clark, aren't you."   
  
"Why would I be? As you keep reminding me, there's nothing between us."   
  
"That doesn't mean anything." Chloe crossed her arms over her chest.   
  
"Would you like me to come out and demand to know if you and Clark are lovers?" Lex asked archly. "Would that soothe your ego?"  
  
"This isn't about *my* ego," she retorted.   
  
Lex shrugged. "You say potato..."   
  
Chloe sighed and ran a hand through her hair again. She really didn't want to play this game. "Would you just come out and ask me whatever it is you want to know?" she said tiredly.  
  
It took a moment, but he nodded. "Are you and Clark lovers?"   
  
"No, we're not." Well, that had been simple. Relatively speaking, anyway.  
  
Lex nodded again. "Have you been?"   
  
Damn. She sighed again and dropped into a chair. "At one point, in college," she said slowly, "there was a period of time lasting about a week where we were. But that was a while ago, and there's been nothing romantic between us since. Okay?"   
  
"Okay." Lex walked over to her side of the table, picking up something near her left arm. He set it down and the back of his hand brushed against her arm, almost by accident. Chloe would have dismissed it if she hadn't known that Lex was acutely aware of his personal space every instant of the day. If he'd brushed against her, he'd done it on purpose.  
  
She pushed herself to her feet and turned, intending to go find another cup of coffee. But when she did, she found Lex looking down at her, his eyes shuttered. "Lex--" she said hesitantly.   
  
That was all she got out before he kissed her. Or she kissed him--she wasn't sure which it was. One moment they were looking at each other and the next his hands were in her hair, her arms were around his neck, and her only thought was that he tasted like really good coffee and a hint of chocolate.   
  
"No," she said breathlessly, wrenching herself away from him when his knee began to press between her legs. "No, we can't do this." Chloe swallowed, not looking at him. "We can't."   
  
Lex nodded coolly. "You're right, of course. It was a mistake."   
  
"No," Chloe said, shaking her head. "It wasn't a mistake. It was just--bad timing."   
  
"There'll always be a story, Chloe," Lex said quietly.   
  
"That's as may be, but--" She sighed. "Look, Lex--I'm not seeing anyone at the moment. You know that. And--yes, I'm interested in you. But you need to respect my choice not to get involved until *this* particular story is over."   
  
"As long as I have your word that when this story is over, you'll consider the possibility," Lex countered.  
  
"Are you always as ruthless in personal relationships as you are in business?" Chloe asked, sitting on the edge of the table.  
  
He smiled slowly. "I like a challenge," he said silkily.  
  
"Well, challenge this." Chloe gestured at the table. "We're down to six--let's see if we can knock off another two or three before you have to go do work and I have to go interview Leslie."   
  
"Sounds like a plan."   
  
  
  
1:14pm  
"So, did you know Chloe before you came to work at the Planet?" Lois leaned back in her chair, crossing one long leg over the other.  
  
"I've known her since eighth grade," Clark admitted, smiling. He sipped his water, covertly admiring the thick mane of hair that spilled over Lois's shoulders. "She and Pete and I--we were kind of this inseparable trio through high school."   
  
"So you know her pretty well." Lois smiled at the waiter as he brought over her salad and Clark's sandwich.   
  
"Yeah, I do. Why?"   
  
She shrugged prettily and picked up her fork. "I like to get to know my fellow reporters, and she's kind of--stand-offish, you know?" Lois smiled. "Not like you."   
  
Clark took a bite of his sandwich to cover his confusion. Chloe, stand-offish? He didn't think so--but maybe his memory was fogged because he'd known her for so long. "I try to be friendly," he said lightly.  
  
Lois smiled. "You succeed very well."   
  
Okay, so maybe he was a bit clueless where women were concerned, but he was reasonably certain the look in her eyes meant she was interested. He just wasn't sure what the protocol was on dating a co-worker. Maybe Chloe knew; he'd have to ask her later.   
  
"So you and Chloe are both from Smallville?" Lois asked.  
  
"Yeah. Although she'll tell you she's from Metropolis--she just took a detour for a few years."   
  
"That sounds like her," Lois said, laughing.   
  
Clark grinned and nodded. "What about you?" he asked. "Where are you from?"  
  
"Oh, I'm from here. But before you ask--I didn't know Chloe growing up. Metropolis is a big city."   
  
"Yeah, I'll agree with that," Clark said with a smile.   
  
"Too big for you?" Lois teased.  
  
He shook his head, setting down his water glass. "No, just--different."   
  
"I'm sure." Lois tilted her head to one side, looking thoughtful. "Lex Luthor spent a few years in Smallville, didn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"   
  
She shrugged. "Just thinking. Smallville isn't all that big, you know? I was just wondering if--"  
  
"If they knew each other back then?" Clark finished.  
  
Lois laughed. "Well, yes."   
  
Clark shrugged. "I couldn't really tell you. It's not like there's any secret history there." Which was true--it wasn't like they'd been having a torrid affair or anything.   
  
"Maybe not to you," Lois pointed out.   
  
"No, seriously. I'm sure there's nothing." Well--not on Chloe's part. Clark wasn't so sure Lex didn't have ulterior motives; in fact, he was pretty sure Lex *did*. It probably should have worried him more, but he knew Chloe wouldn't let Lex get away with anything. Besides, she'd come to him if she needed help.   
  
"Are you always this earnest?" Lois asked lightly.  
  
"No. Well, maybe." Clark grinned sheepishly.   
  
She laughed and leaned forward. "There's nothing you can tell me?"  
  
"Sorry." He wasn't really sorry, but he didn't want to explain the complicated friendship that had existed between him and Chloe and Lex back in Smallville. He didn't think Chloe would appreciate it either.  
  
"Damn." Lois sighed and picked up her fork again. "There's *got* to be something there."   
  
"Maybe she's just a good reporter," Clark offered.  
  
"Sure. So am I. So are a bunch of people at the Planet with more experience than she has. So how'd *she* finagle her way into Lex Luthor's offices?" Lois asked, gesturing with her fork.   
  
"I--don't know."   
  
"Me either." Lois stabbed her salad. "That's what I'm going to find out."   
  
Clark swallowed. Oh boy.  
  
  
  
3:26pm  
"Clark Kent," he said, tucking the phone under his ear.   
  
"Clark, it's me."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Can you come by LexCorp tonight around nine? Our mysterious vandal tends to work after business hours. So Lex and I are going to hang out and see if we can catch him in the act."   
  
"You two can't handle it yourselves?" Clark said lightly.  
  
"Clark..." Chloe's voice had the threatening growl to it he'd learned to take seriously a long time ago.   
  
"All right, all right. I'll be there at nine."   
  
She sighed with relief. "Thanks."   
  
  
  
9:34pm  
"I'll go on ahead," Clark said. "I doubt he'll show this early, but you never know."  
  
"I'll go with you," Lex said smoothly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You'll need my codes to get into the labs."  
  
"It's really not necessary."   
  
"It is if you intend to do more than a cursory look."   
  
"Can we please *not* do the guy-posturing thing tonight?" Chloe asked from behind them.  
  
"We're not," Clark said. Okay, maybe they were. He couldn't help it; Lex just--grated on him. It was almost like third grade, where the boys would tease the girls they liked. But Lex didn't like him like that. Didn't he?   
  
This was *not* the time for this discussion. He'd worry about Lex's interest in him later. At the moment, they were looking for an intruder who didn't appear to be around.  
  
"Uh huh. Then go on ahead like good little guys and play nice. I'll be fine. This place is deserted."   
  
Clark sighed. "Coming?" he said to Lex, who just quirked one corner of his mouth and glided around the corner.   
  
"Nothing," he said a few minutes later. "It's completely--what was that?" Clark spun around, hearing a noise behind them.  
  
"I don't know," Lex said grimly.  
  
They rounded the corner carefully, quietly. "Oh, shit," Lex said under his breath; had it not been for his enhanced hearing, Clark wouldn't have heard it. He was glad he had--it saved him from repeating the statement.   
  
"Come on out, Lex," the man said, one arm holding Chloe in a headlock. She appeared to be unconscious--although she could have just been afraid to move, given the gun he had to her head. "Now." 


	8. Not the Overlord

Clark hesitated, unsure if the man had seen him or not. If he *hadn't*, there was a chance--okay. There wasn't. He couldn't use his abilities without Chloe and Lex becoming suspicious; he'd had too many close calls already. And he wouldn't have minded Chloe finding out, but he did *not* want Lex knowing about him. Damn.  
  
All right. He'd go along now and get them out of this later; that, he knew he could do. So when Lex stepped around the corner into the lights of the corridor, he followed, doing his best to look meek and unthreatening.  
  
"Two of you," the man said, sounding amused. It was a little hard to tell through the mask he wore, but Clark *thought* he sounded relatively young. "Oh, this makes things so much more interesting."   
  
He *obviously* hadn't read the Evil Overlord handbook, Clark thought irreverently.   
  
"So here's what we're going to do." He kicked a roll of duct tape along the floor; it stopped in front of Lex. "You're going to tape your friend there--hands and feet."  
  
"And if I don't like this idea?" Lex asked, sounding cool as ever.  
  
The man, who Clark had mentally dubbed the Non-Overlord (N.O. for short), shrugged. "Note the gun. Note the way I'm holding your girlfriend. Are you willing to take a chance on her life?"   
  
Chloe was definitely stunned, bordering on unconscious, Clark noted. Shit--she wasn't going to be able to help at all. From the brief look on his face, Lex had realized that as well. He bent and picked up the roll of tape, turning to Clark. "Any ideas?" Lex muttered, winding tape around Clark's wrists and ankles.  
  
"Not at the moment," Clark admitted.   
  
"Good," the N.O. said when Lex had finished. "Now her." He shoved Chloe at Lex, who caught her and eased her down to the floor. "And don't try anything," he warned, pointing the gun at Lex's head.  
  
"I prefer my partners conscious and responsive," Lex said under his breath, too quietly for the N.O. to hear. Clark caught it and hid a smile, watching Lex tape Chloe's wrists carefully. When he was done, he leaned Chloe against Clark, making sure she was semi-comfortable.   
  
"Your turn, rich boy," the N.O. sneered, scooping up the tape and efficiently binding Lex with it.   
  
Lex half-fell, half-eased himself down the wall next to Clark. "I want Chloe between us," he muttered. "Is she--"  
  
"She's pretty out of it," Clark admitted. "Here, if I move over this way--"  
  
"Yeah, there we go." Lex ended up practically crawling over him to get on the other side of Chloe; another time, Clark might have been more interested in the way Lex felt against him. But being tied up at gunpoint wasn't exactly conducive to romance.   
  
Wait a minute. When had he become interested in Lex? Clark shook his head mentally. Was *anything* with the man ever simple?  
  
"So now what?" Lex asked coolly. "We're tied up, you've got the gun--is this where you tell us all about how you're going to kill us?"  
  
The N.O. pointed the gun at him. "This is all your fault," he said angrily.   
  
"I'm used to that." Lex sounded bored; Clark wondered if he could get between Lex and a bullet before it hit. Probably--the duct tape wouldn't hold him if he didn't want it to. Of course, that would bring a whole host of explanations later, but saving Lex's life was kind of more important than evading his way out of another mess.   
  
"You don't care, do you?" the N.O. asked, waving the gun around. Clark kept a wary eye on it, noticing that his finger was next to the trigger, not on it. Well, that was good, at least. "You've ruined so many lives, and you don't even care!"   
  
Lex just raised an eyebrow. "If that's what you want to believe, go right ahead. You're the one with the gun, not me."   
  
"That's right," the N.O. said with a nod. "I am."   
  
Clark wondered if he'd ever wind up in a situation where the bad guy (or gal) *didn't* sound like something out of a bad B movie. "Uh, excuse me," he said, going for meek and somewhat nerdy, "but what do you plan on doing with us?" He needed to get the idiot's attention away from Lex--he wasn't bulletproof, and Clark was.   
  
"I have to admit, I hadn't planned on having three of you," the N.O. admitted thoughtfully. "Should I kill you all? Or just the one responsible?" He laughed. "Oh, decisions, decisions..."   
  
Oh, this just kept getting better and better. Next to him, Chloe was beginning to stir; she blinked a few times, looking around. "Not again," she groaned, looking down at her feet. "Jesus Christ, I had enough of being kidnapped when I was in high school."   
  
Clark hid laughter; at least he knew Chloe was fine. It was when she stopped snarking he had to worry.   
  
"You've got company this time," Lex pointed out.  
  
"Oh, goody." Chloe snorted. "We're going to renegotiate, here--I don't think a four-part exclusive is compensation enough for being tied up with duct tape. Do you *know* what that stuff does to your clothes?"   
  
She was scared; Clark could hear it underlying her voice. But she was hiding it well. "If I offer to replace them, will that help?" Lex said dryly.  
  
"I'll think about it when my head doesn't hurt so much." She winced and shifted a little. "So what's your deal, asshole?" Chloe asked the N.O.  
  
"Oh, he thinks I've ruined lots of lives and it's his job to make me pay," Lex commented.   
  
"Someone has to," their captor burst out angrily. "And you--you can just shut up. All of you."   
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Why, so you can rant at us?"   
  
"Shut up!" His voice was getting tighter; he pointed the gun at Chloe, aiming at her head. Clark silently begged her to stop snarking--he *really* didn't want to have to explain how he could dodge bullets. To his relief, she looked at the gun and subsided.   
  
Their captor turned to Lex, glaring at him so fiercely Clark saw it even through the mask. Unfortunately, he couldn't see behind the mask--he just saw bone structure, which didn't help all that much.   
  
"You ruined my parents' lives," the N.O. said shakily, pointing the gun directly at Lex's forehead. Lex didn't even flinch; Clark gave him points for courage. "You stole their land and you ruined them."  
  
"Who were they?" Clark asked. He had an idea in mind, but he needed the guy to turn toward him first.   
  
To his disappointment, the guy just turned his head briefly. "No one you'd know," he said bitterly. "I doubt Lex even noticed their names when he signed the papers to steal their land."   
  
"Actually, I keep a list of all the people whose lives I've wrecked," Lex interjected. "This way I can gloat." Next to him, Chloe smirked, hiding laughter rather unsuccessfully. "When it gets long enough I might make a desk calendar out of it or something."  
  
Chloe nearly fell over, snickering. "That's just way too Austin Powers," she decided. "At least do something unique, like--I don't know, print toilet paper with the list on it."  
  
Clark nearly bit through his lip trying not to laugh. Unfortunately, the N.O. didn't appear to have a sense of humor. "Shut up!" he barked, swinging the gun to point between her and Lex. "Shut up or--"  
  
"You'd have shot us already," Lex told him. "So I don't think you're going to."  
  
Oh, not good. Clark *saw* the guy's finger move to the trigger; before he could squeeze, Clark pursed his lips, using the force of his breath to knock the gun out of his hand. The N.O. stumbled backward, the gun went flying, and Lex and Clark moved at the same movement, almost as if they'd planned it. Clark dove for the N.O., pinning him down; Lex went for the gun. "Chloe?" Clark said, lying on the guy's legs. "We could use some help here."   
  
"Right." She crawled over to them--well, slithered, really. It was difficult to crawl with ankles taped together and her hands taped behind her back. "What do you need?"  
  
"Help getting out of the duct tape?"   
  
"Great, just let me get my handy pocketknife..." Chloe sighed.   
  
"Chloe." Lex turned so he was lying on his right hip. "In my pocket--there's one of those those multi-purpose pens. It's got an exacto blade in it."   
  
Clark thought that while the banter had been amusing, watching Chloe trying to get the pen out of Lex's pocket was downright hilarious. She ended up lying on him, and if they hadn't both been dressed and taped up, it would have looked--well, obscene. As it was, it looked like they were rehearsing for a porn movie.  
  
"Roll over," she said, once Lex had helped her get the blade out. "I'll cut your wrists free."   
  
Lex turned onto his stomach; with some more wriggling, Chloe clenched the pen between her teeth and bent to slice through the tape. Oh. God. Chloe, practically lying on top of Lex, her mouth *way* too close to his ass--Clark swallowed.   
  
"There," she said finally, dropping the pen and rolling off him. Lex nodded and pulled his wrists free, reaching for the pen to slice through the tape around his ankles.   
  
"Clark next?" Lex asked, and Chloe nodded.   
  
"Y-yeah." She looked a little pale and shaky; Clark guessed her head was bothering her. "I'll just--" Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped to the floor.   
  
"Oh, shit," Lex said, scrambling over to her. He slapped her face lightly, cushioning her head with one hand. "Chloe? Come on, Chloe--come on, wake up."   
  
She blinked, staring at him fuzzily. "I don't feel so good," she said thickly.  
  
"Stay with us a little longer and we'll get you taken care of, okay?" Lex asked, his voice more gentle than Clark had ever heard it.   
  
"Okay."   
  
Lex settled her on her side and went back to Clark, cutting through the tape as quickly as he could. "There," he said. "I'll--"  
  
Get kicked in the solar plexus by the crook, who had squirmed out from under Clark while Lex was cutting him loose. Lex went skidding backwards across the floor, slamming into the wall. Clark looked at him, gasping for breath, and spared three seconds to run a quick X-ray check and make sure nothing was broken.   
  
By the time he turned around, the N.O. was gone.   
  
"Shit!" Lex said, one hand on his chest. "Oh--" He took a deep breath, visibly wincing. "Nothing feels broken, at least," he said, swallowing.  
  
"I don't think it is." Damnit! Clark cursed himself for not following the guy. He had *no* way of tracking the N.O. now without alerting Lex and Chloe's suspicions. Even with a bump on her head, Chloe was more persistent than a bulldog. And he'd skirted around Lex knowing for too many years, even back when they'd been closer.   
  
"He's gone?" Chloe asked, blinking, and Clark realized she was still bound. He knelt by her and got the tape off her wrists and ankles, rubbing her hands gently.   
  
"You okay?" he asked, helping her sit up.  
  
"Yeah--give me some Advil and I'll be good as new." She smiled. "Really, guys."  
  
"Pardon me for not quite believing you, but you passed out," Lex told her.   
  
"Guys. I'm fine. I will go back to my place--"  
  
"No, you won't," Clark and Lex said in unison.   
  
Chloe sighed. "All right, then, I'll go back to Clark's place. Or Lex's place. Or a freaking hotel or something."   
  
"I want you where I can keep an eye on you," Lex said. "You might have a concussion, which means you need someone to stay with you."  
  
"I'll spell you," Clark offered.   
  
Lex looked at him over Chloe's head and nodded. "My place, then? I've got room for you both."  
  
"All right." Clark stood, stripping the remains of the tape from his clothes, and lifted Chloe to her feet. She wobbled a little but stood on her own once he let go.   
  
"We'll deal with security and such in the morning," Lex said on their way out.   
  
"Sounds good to me." Clark helped Chloe up the stairs, gaining a glare for his trouble, and followed her and Lex to Lex's car. He hoped Chloe was well enough to be awake for part of the night--if he and Lex had to spend it talking, disaster was more than a possibility. 


	9. The Aftermath

"How're you doing?" Clark asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Chloe.  
  
"As I said before, I'm *fine*." She grinned and leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "A little tired, a little headachy, but I'll be fine."   
  
"Well, the doctor said you probably don't have a concussion--or if you do, it's a mild one," Clark offered.  
  
"Oh goody." Chloe wrinkled her nose at him. "Somehow I'm less than comforted." She hid a yawn, blinking sleepily.  
  
Clark hugged her. "Get some sleep, okay? Either Lex or I will be in every couple of hours to wake you up."   
  
Chloe groaned, running a hand through her hair. "I know, I know. Evil sadists that you are."  
  
He kissed the top of her head and stood, tucking her in. "Night, Chloe."   
  
She mumbled a goodnight at him as he turned off the light and left, closing the door all but a crack.  
  
Lex was in the living room, looking idly at one of the bookcases. He stood up straighter and turned when Clark entered. "Chloe's asleep?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Mostly, yeah. She'll be fine." Clark shrugged. "She's got a hard head, I guess. How're you?"  
  
"I'm fine." Lex slipped his hands into his pockets. "You want something to drink?"   
  
"Uh--yeah, that'd be good."  
  
Lex nodded. "I was going to have some juice, if you're interested."   
  
"Sure."   
  
"Be right back." Lex left the room silently, leaving Clark with the unsettling feeling of wanting to hide. Dealing with the man was difficult enough, but without Chloe's presence to act as a buffer...  
  
Well. He'd live. They were both adults, after all. No reason they couldn't be civil to each other.  
  
A moment later, Lex returned, handing Clark a tall glass filled with what looked like orange juice but didn't taste quite like it. "What is this?" he asked, looking at it.  
  
"Orange mango. I developed a taste for it a while back." Lex sipped from his own glass.   
  
"It's good."   
  
"I'll tell the manufacturer," Lex said drily. He drifted back over to the bookcase, idly running one hand along the rows of leather-bound volumes. "You just got back into town, didn't you?"  
  
Clark nodded, taking a seat on the sleek black couch. "Covering for Chloe's been my first assignment at the Planet," he admitted.  
  
"And already you're in the thick of things. Somehow I'm not surprised. You always were, even back in Smallville." Lex turned slightly, one corner of his mouth quirking slightly. "Clark Kent, the trouble magnet."  
  
"Chloe was usually right there with me," Clark felt obliged to point out. "Maybe she's the trouble magnet, not me."   
  
"It's definitely possible." Lex shrugged. "Good to be back?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm still reconnecting with people and all, but--yeah, it's good to be back."   
  
"You didn't keep in touch with anyone?" Lex asked, and Clark had the sense there was more to that question than simple politeness.   
  
"No, not really. Ask Chloe--she saw me and the first thing she did was hug me. The second thing she did was smack me and call me an ass. I think she's still mad at me."   
  
Lex nodded. "I was--surprised when I'd heard you were gone," he said casually. "If you'd told me you were leaving, I could have made your travels easier."   
  
"I--I didn't want that. I wanted to see the world completely on my own." And I didn't want to be in debt to you, Clark admitted silently. By the end of college, he'd begun to realize what his father had said back in high school--Lex's gifts didn't always come without strings.   
  
Even if Lex didn't realize it.  
  
"Understandable." Lex took another sip of his juice.   
  
The silence between them stretched for an uncomfortable moment before Clark broke it. "You've done well," he said finally. "LexCorp looks to be more successful than LuthorCorp ever was."  
  
"Thank you." Lex inclined his head slightly.   
  
Clark looked at the clock--an hour and a half until someone had to check on Chloe, and he wasn't even remotely tired. Calling this a long night wasn't even close to the truth.   
  
"I heard from Pete the other day," Clark said abruptly. "He's working for one of the Kansas representatives--if all goes well in the next election he'll move up to chief of staff.   
  
"Good for him." Lex smiled a little. "Maybe I'll hire him someday."  
  
"Still want to be President?" Clark asked lightly.  
  
"The future's never certain, Clark." Lex shrugged and took a seat in a chair to Clark's left. For a moment, it was almost like being back in Smallville--Clark the younger, more innocent of the two, soaking up advice and friendship from Lex.   
  
"No, I guess not." Clark looked down at the glass in his hands. "Do you ever miss Smallville?" he asked impulsively.   
  
He didn't think Lex was going to answer him for a minute. "There are a few things about Smallville I can say I enjoyed," Lex said at last. "But weighed against the general feeling of the populace during my time there--no, Clark, I don't miss it."   
  
Clark didn't entirely believe him. "Not everyone thought you were a pariah," he pointed out. "I didn't."   
  
"No. You didn't." Lex stood, walking over to the windows.   
  
You didn't then--but what do you think now, Clark? What do you think of me now? Clark could hear the words, even without Lex saying them. They hung in the air between the two of them.   
  
It weighed on him--because what right did he have to judge Lex? They'd been close, once--closer than brothers. And now, they were nothing but two strangers in a room, bound only by a professional problem and a blonde woman who lay sleeping a few yards away.   
  
Clark wondered what Chloe thought of the situation. She'd resented Lex, once; she'd accused Clark of forgetting about everyone else when he was around. "It's like the two of you have this club and no one else can join," she'd said one day. At the time, Clark had protested her words--now he saw the truth in them.  
  
Well, the club was officially disbanded now. Lex had moved on from Smallville, as had Clark. Their paths had diverged a long time ago.   
  
"Do--do you have any idea who that was, tonight?" Clark asked, breaking the silence again.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I have more to go on now." Lex turned, his outline reflected in the glass. "Within the next two days I'll know who our culprit is."   
  
Clark nodded. "Good."   
  
"I think so--I'd really rather not have Chloe get injured again before this is done," Lex said wryly.   
  
"If she gets hurt again, I'm not sure if she'll be more upset with the vandal or with you."   
  
"If she gets hurt again, I'll have to become her informant," Lex countered. "She's already gotten a four-part series out of me. I shudder to think what this will cost."   
  
Clark smiled, setting his glass down. "Some women demand jewelry--Chloe demands stories."   
  
"Of the two, I'd rather have to deal with jewelry."   
  
"Why? Do you have that many secrets that need hiding?"   
  
Whoops. That--hadn't been the right thing to say. Clark *saw* Lex go cold and winced. "Sorry," he apologized. "I was just kidding."   
  
"No, you weren't."   
  
"Lex--"  
  
"You made it abundantly clear what you thought of me years ago, Clark. Don't tell me you've suddenly changed your opinion now." Lex looked at him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Clark opened his mouth and shut it without saying anything. Lex was right.  
  
"I'm going to go check on Chloe," Lex said simply. "Feel free to peruse the bookshelves."   
  
  
  
About an hour later, Clark heard noise coming from Chloe's room and dropped his book, pushing the door open.   
  
"No, don't--" Chloe gasped; Clark heard her heart pounding. "Please, don't--"  
  
"Oh, hell." Clark spared one quick glance at Lex before scooping Chloe up in his arms, rocking her slightly. "It's okay, Chloe--it's me, Clark. It's okay." He held her close, knowing that her subconscious would register his presence and she'd wake up.  
  
She woke with a start, gasping for breath. "I couldn't breathe," she said, burying her head against his shoulder. "I--and the dirt--and--"   
  
"Sssh. It's okay, Chloe. You're here now." He stroked her hair, letting her cling to him.  
  
Lex left quietly, returning with a glass of water. Chloe pulled away from Clark and took it, drinking carefully. "Thank you," she said, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry--I--"  
  
"It's all right." He took the glass back and set it down on the nightstand. "Would you like me to leave?"   
  
She shook her head. "I won't be able to sleep again," she admitted. "But if you two will excuse me, I'm going to go wash my face." She slid out of bed and padded to the bathroom, her shirt barely covering the essentials.   
  
"She gets nightmares," Clark said quietly. "They started after she was kidnapped."  
  
Lex nodded. "Has she ever seen anyone for them?"   
  
"You'd have to ask her, but I'm guessing not." Clark shrugged. "Back in college, she spent more nights than I can remember sleeping in my bed."   
  
Something flickered in Lex's eyes briefly. Clark had no idea what it was and no time to figure it out, because at that moment Chloe came back in, looking calmer. She climed back into bed, draping the comforter over her legs. "So," she said, looking from one to the other. "Has the truce been signed yet?"   
  
"We're not at war," Clark protested.  
  
"Uh huh." She gave him one of her 'You're an idiot' looks. "Seriously."  
  
"I think we've managed to put our differences aside for the moment," Lex said smoothly.  
  
Clark hid his surprise before Chloe noticed it.   
  
"Right." She eyed Lex narrowly. "Okay. I'm awake. You're awake. Now what?"   
  
Lex didn't even try to hide the smirk.   
  
"I think not," she said, rolling her eyes. "Not unless you and Clark have something going on you're not telling me about."   
  
Clark bit back a laugh. No--there really wasn't. His feelings toward Lex were complicated at best, and he admitted that there was a dose of sexual attraction in there somewhere. But as for acting on it--he *really* didn't think so.  
  
Lex didn't seem inclined to answer; Chloe looked from one of them to the other again and sighed. "So much for humor." She raked a hand through her hair, wincing when she brushed over the lump.  
  
"You should try and get some more sleep," Lex said.  
  
"It--I can't." Chloe sighed.   
  
"I can stay," Clark offered, taking one of her hands.   
  
"No, that's okay. I shouldn't sleep much anyway."   
  
"It's fine." Lex rose. "I'll come in and check on you every couple of hours in case Clark falls asleep."   
  
"You won't get much sleep that way," she pointed out.  
  
He shrugged. "I'll be fine."   
  
Clark was torn; part of him wanted to protest and insist that he and Lex take turns. The rest of him was more concerned about Chloe. And--well--this was something he could do for her that Lex couldn't, and that was so incredibly petty he was ashamed to admit it.  
  
"If you're sure," he said finally.  
  
"It's fine." Lex left, closing the door quietly behind him.  
  
Chloe sighed again, leaning against Clark's shoulder. "Well, that was wonderful," she said glumly.  
  
"Don't worry about it. We'll sort it out in the morning." Clark hugged her. "You want me to crawl in there with you?"  
  
"I guess." Chloe picked at the comforter absently. "Clark--if I have to keep playing buffer zone between you and Lex, I--"  
  
"We'll behave," he interrupted. "I promise."  
  
"If what I just saw was an example of behaving, I don't think I trust you," she countered.  
  
Clark winced inwardly. "It's been a long night, Chloe. Can you forgive us for being a little short-tempered?"   
  
"I'll think about it." She grinned. "But you'll stand a better chance if you don't hog the covers."  
  
He laughed and stripped down to his shorts and undershirt, crawling under the covers next to her. "You're safe with me," he said quietly.  
  
She smiled, one hand curled against his chest. "I know." 


	10. Invitations

7:52am  
Clark hadn't meant to fall asleep. And, in fact, he'd stayed awake until about six-thirty, keeping an eye on Chloe and exchanging cool glances with Lex whenever the other man came in to check on her. But it had been a long day, and Chloe was soft and warm in his arms, and her gentle breathing was hypnotic...  
  
He blinked once, then twice. "Rise and shine," Lex said drily, hands in his pockets. He was standing next to the bed, looking down with an unreadable expression. "It's almost eight."   
  
It took a bit of effort to disentangle himself from Chloe enough to sit up; while asleep, the two of them had ended up tangled like a pair of puppies. She murmured something in her sleep when he gently pushed her away. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," Clark said, hoping he didn't look as disheveled as he felt. "Did you get any sleep at all?"  
  
Lex just shrugged.   
  
Chloe rubbed at her eyes, muttering incoherently, and sat up. She raked a hand through her hair, wincing when her fingers got caught on a tangle, and looked from Lex to Clark and back again. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice husky and thick with sleep.  
  
"Almost eight," Lex told her.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me sooner?" Chloe scrambled out of bed, hurrying to the bathroom. "I have to interview Paul Kowalski at ten!" She rubbed at her eyes, turning in the doorway. "Coffee," she said decisively. "I need coffee."   
  
The door shut firmly behind her; a moment later, Clark heard the sound of running water. He turned to Lex and shrugged; Lex just had a faint half-smile on his face. "I'll go get coffee," he said mildly.   
  
"Coffee. Right." Clark rubbed his eyes and slid out of bed, pulling on his jeans. "I--I need to get going," he said, searching for his shirt. "Lois is going to *kill* me. We were supposed to meet with Perry this morning."  
  
"Sleep well?" Lex asked, watching Clark hop around getting into his clothes.   
  
"Uh--I guess. Call me if you need me?" Clark shoved his feet into his shoes, not bothering to tie their laces. He spared a moment to grab his jacket before bolting for the door.  
  
"Will do," Lex said, still with the faint half-smile going on.   
  
There were times, Clark reflected on his way to his apartment, that super-speed was a wonderful thing.  
  
8:13am  
"Clothes--shit, I have no *clothes* here!" Chloe stormed out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, wrapped in a giant blue towel. Her hair was still damp and her skin was flushed from the heat of the shower. "I do not have *time* for this, damnit!"   
  
Lex silently handed her a mug of coffee; she took it and downed about a third of it in one long swallow. "What the hell are you doing in here?" she demanded, belatedly realizing she was wearing nothing but a towel.   
  
"I live here," Lex pointed out mildly. "I believe there are some clothes in the closet that might fit you."  
  
"I'm not even going to ask," Chloe muttered. She looked at him pointedly, opening the door to the closet. "Would you mind terribly leaving so I can get dressed?"  
  
"I'd mind, but I'll go," Lex said with a half-smirk. He turned and left, shutting the door behind him. Chloe made a short noise of aggravation before opening the closet doors. Somehow, she was less than surprised to see a wide selection of designer clothes in styles and colors that would suit her perfectly.  
  
"I am *not* a foregone conclusion," she muttered, deciding on an outfit. Although the bathroom stocked with her favorite skin products had been a nice touch, she had to admit. And--"How the hell does he know what size shoe I wear?" Chloe asked rhetorically, slipping into a pair of glove-soft flats.   
  
"I guessed," Lex said from the doorway. "I take it the clothes fit well?"  
  
Some insane impulse made her pirouette in front of him, the skirt she'd chosen flaring softly around her legs. "What do you think?" she asked lightly. Oh, that was brilliant.   
  
"I think that shade of green is perfect on you," he told her.   
  
"Thank you--you picked it out, after all." Chloe smiled.   
  
"Please keep the clothes--it's not as though they'll fit me."   
  
"I can't do that, Lex," she said, even as one hand unconsciously smoothed her skirt.   
  
He shrugged slightly. "We can discuss it later--right now, it's probably a good idea to go to the office. We both have work to do."  
  
"Right." Chloe picked up the mug and drained the rest of the coffee in it, grimacing slightly at its lukewarm temperature. "Let's go."   
  
8:37am  
"Lane! Kent! My office!" Perry bellowed across the newsroom. "Now!"   
  
"Right away, chief," Lois said, sliding out of her chair. Clark followed her across the newsroom, trying to keep his eyes *away* from her long legs.  
  
"I've got a last minute assignment for you two," Perry said when they were seated. "There's a big charity ball tonight, and I need someone to cover it. Normally I'd have sent Sullivan but she's on special assignment. It'll be easy. Here're your press passes and invitations." He shoved an envelope across his desk.  
  
"Why the last minute notice?" Lois asked.   
  
"Politics, Lane, politics." Perry scowled. "It's black tie--I assume you can find something to wear?"  
  
"I'll see what I can do." Lois grinned. "Want to come shopping with me?"  
  
He just glared at her.   
  
"I wonder if Lex will be there," Clark mused, putting the envelope in his breast pocket.  
  
"Probably. Big public event like this--he wouldn't *not* be." Perry stuck the unlit end of a cigar into his mouth and picked up a sheaf of papers. "That a problem, Kent?"  
  
"No, not at all. Just wondering." Clark hid a wince at the thought of spending an evening standing around in a tux he couldn't really afford so he could write an article featuring a man he'd once called his best friend. Had he done something in a previous life to merit this? Or was he accumulating good karma for later on?   
  
"Good. Now back to work." Perry looked down at his papers. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!"   
  
"Sure thing, Chief." Lois stood and headed out of his office, sauntering back to her desk. "Pick me up at seven, Clark," she told him.  
  
"Um--I haven't had a chance to get a car yet," Clark said apologetically.  
  
She sighed and swiveled around to face him. "Fine, give me your address and I'll pick you up at seven."   
  
Clark scribbled it down and handed her the piece of paper. She looked at it, nodded, and turned back to her desk.   
  
So much for small talk.  
  
9:21am  
"Chloe?" Marie rapped on the doorframe. "Do you have a minute?"   
  
"Hmm?" Chloe looked up from her laptop and blinked. "Yeah, sure, come on in. What can I do for you?"  
  
"More like what I can do for you," Marie said with a smile. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. Paul Kowalski--the man you were supposed to interview this morning--called in sick. Apparently he's got a terrible case of the flu and can barely stand."  
  
"Oh, poor man," Chloe said automatically as her brain raced. The flu, huh? Somehow she doubted it. Maybe Kowalski was afraid she'd recognize him somehow. Or maybe he was recovering from his exertions the night before. Either way, it didn't matter. She had a tangible lead, for once.  
  
"I tried to do some rescheduling, but--" Marie spread her hands. "It didn't work. Do you mind terribly?"  
  
"No, not at all. I have other work I can do in the meantime." Like finding out everything about Paul Kowalski she possibly could.   
  
"Oh, good." Marie looked incredibly relieved. "I'll see you later, then."   
  
Chloe smiled. "Sure thing."   
  
As soon as the door had closed behind Marie, Chloe set to work. First up: Kowalski's address and phone number, easily obtained from his personnel file. His education history was in there too--he'd gotten his B.A. from Metropolis University, and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon. Specifically, biochemistry, Chloe noted. "I wonder if there's any computer science in there," she mused, accessing the MU page. Now, if he hadn't chosen to be hidden from their alumnae page...  
  
"Aha!" Chloe grinned and scrolled down the page, looking at the short facts on one Kowalski, Paul R. B.A. in chemistry, originally from Kansas, Ph.D. in biochemistry, now working for LexCorp, not married--"So much for that being useful," she grumbled. There was nothing in there she considered useful, and most of what *was* there she'd known already. The alumnae site listed majors, not minors; if he'd minored in comp sci or anything like it, she wouldn't find out there.  
  
But--just because he wasn't listed as taking many comp sci classes didn't mean he hadn't been a computer geek on his own. He was the right age, after all. And while the alumnae site had nothing, maybe his personal file *did*. She opened it again. "Maybe...damn." Chloe sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Well, it was a good theory while it lasted--all two minutes of it," she said glumly.  
  
"What was?" a voice asked from the door.  
  
"Lex," Chloe said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"  
  
He shrugged a little and stepped into the room. "I do own the building," he pointed out.  
  
"What's up?" she asked, casually making sure her laptop wasn't showing anything.  
  
"Same old, same old. I had a question for you, though."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
He tossed a thick, square envelope onto her desk. Opening it, Chloe saw that it was an invitation to a charity ball that evening--something about a new children's cancer wing at Metropolis General. "And you're showing this to me because..." Chloe looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Lex smiled. "Want to go?"  
  
"I'm a reporter. I don't go to charity balls unless I'm reporting on them."  
  
"So consider it research. How the other half lives and all that." Lex propped a hip on her desk; she moved some papers for him. "I'll introduce you as my associate. No one will make the connection."  
  
"I don't think so."   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"Would you mind moving? You're crumpling my papers." And he was far too much in her personal space.  
  
He stood and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Are you really going to abandon me to the torment of spending an evening at a charity ball by myself, surrounded by viper-tongued matrons and balding men who look like penguins?"  
  
"I'm sure you'll survive. Besides, I have nothing to wear." She had said that why?  
  
"I'm sure we can arrange something." Which meant he probably had the dress in his closet.  
  
"Why me?"  
  
Lex shrugged gracefully. "Peace offering, after letting you get knocked on hte head?"  
  
"Your choice of olive branch seems a bit suspicious."  
  
He smiled again. "Honestly, then?"  
  
"Always a good policy."  
  
"Or not." Lex half-smirked. "The *truth* is that I'd rather spend the evening with someone I can at least talk to, since I have to go."  
  
She flipped her pen between her fingers idly. "What's in it for me?"  
  
"The outfit, an evening of my company, getting to meet some of Metropolis' elite--some of whom may remember you later on in your career..."  
  
Oh, that last one wasn't fair. "Remember me how?"  
  
"My name will get you places, Chloe."  
  
"I'll get there on my own," she told him coolly.  
  
"I'm sure. But why not take advantage of friendship? I'm not offering you a career, just a hand up."  
  
Chloe's eyes narrowed. "I'll think about that. And as for the ball--"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'll need at least an hour to get ready. Am I correct in assuming you have the dress already?" she asked pointedly.  
  
Lex smiled. "I may have something in my closet, yes. Now, what was that theory?"   
  
"Oh, nothing. Just looking for some information I didn't find." Chloe stretched and stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."  
  
"Of course." He inclined his head and left, leaving Chloe with an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. A ball with Lex?   
  
"I must be losing my mind," she muttered. It was the only rational explanation, after all. 


	11. Author's Notes

My apologies for this taking so long--real life kind of got in the way for a bit. Hopefully, the next chapters will take less time to go up!   
  
Many, many kudos to Morgan, without whom I wouldn't know half of what I need in order to make this work. I have to add in special kudos this chapter for helping me *finish* the thing; without Morgan's help it'd still be sitting forlornly on my computer hard drive.  
  
For those of you who are interested in the Evil Overlord rules--they do exist, and you can find them here: http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html  
  
Once again, I can't emphasize how much your reviews mean to me. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed the story so far--it really means a lot to me, and it's what keeps me typing away over here.   
  
Couple of minor notes--in chapter 2 I had Chloe telling Perry White that she and Clark had known each other since third grade. That was obviously before I saw 'Obscura'; it'll be fixed at some point.   
  
For those Chlark fans out there--yes, there *is* a backstory to what you're reading, and yes, I *will* write it at some point. Don't hold your breath, though! *g* 


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